Jewel Sailor Senshi
by elgaladangel
Summary: Everyone knows of Sailor Moon and her companions' great deeds. But that's only one dimension of seven: what about the others? Here's the 3rd dimension's story, when seven girls meet and are changed forever by a special cat..WARNING!! VERY LONG!
1. Two Strange Men! The First Meeting of t...

Everyone knows of the greatest heroine ever born, Sailor Moon. They also know of her companions and their bravery and great powers.  
  
But they exist only in the first dimension out of seven. Sailor Moon's deeds are true in her dimension, but are stories of encouragement or cartoons in others.  
  
Especially in the dimension cursed to forever be almost devoid of magic. The Third Dimension.  
  
And this dimension is what this story is about. When six girls receive powers never before seen in this dimension. The same powers granted to the Sailor Senshi of the First Dimension. The power to transform into a Sailor Soldier.  
  
The Jewel Senshi Saga begins here.  
  
White foggy mists swirled over the ground, obscuring her view of the horizon. The girl blinked as a figure materialized. She was so familiar to her that she could have placed the figure in a heartbeat.  
  
"Sailor Diamond." Sailor Moon whispered.  
  
".Your time is now!"  
  
"What the.?!"  
  
The girl who had been dreaming leapt up in bed and immediately fell off onto the floor. "Ow." She muttered, rubbing her butt from where it had hit the corner of her bedside table. "What the heck was that all about?"  
  
A huge yawn broke through her contemplations. She smiled sleepily. "Gee, I like Sailor Moon so much I'm even dreaming about her."  
  
Still smiling, she curled back within a mountain of blankets, and went to sleep.  
  
1.1 Chapter One  
  
Angela Kay Pirko, eighth grader at Chickahominy Middle, sighed as she looked at her latest test score. "Eighty-three." She moaned. "I should have gotten at least a ninety! All because of this two stupid questions. I mean, who cares about the five themes of geography?"  
  
She was so busy complaining she didn't notice the girl in front of her until-  
  
WHAM!  
  
"Ow!" With a thud Angela was down on the ground panting and gasping for breath.  
  
"Ouch!"  
  
Angela winced. "Sorry! Didn't see you!"  
  
The girl who Angie had bumped into looked down. Angela caught her breath. The look about her, from her glistening raven black hair to deep scarlet eyes to thin frame, was immaculate.  
  
"Oh, God!" Angie wailed. "I ran into a popular!"  
  
"Don't be silly." The girl snorted, putting her hand down for the grounded one. "Why would I want to be a part of a bunch of squealing ninnies?"  
  
Angie grinned as she took the hand. "Thanks. Sorry about the run-in."  
  
The girl laughed. "I probably should have been watching where I was going too. I just wasn't expecting a blond bomb to explode on me." She swept back her hair with one hand, then offered it. "I'm Rachelle Roberts."  
  
Angie accepted the hand. "Angela Pirko, but for Pete's sake call me Angie."  
  
Rachelle's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Angie, huh? You're in some of my classes. Chickahominy, right?"  
  
Angie blinked. "Um, yeah. Don't take this the wrong way, but you don't look like a Chickahominy student."  
  
"I refuse to be pulled into stereotypes and frames." Rachelle announced grandly.  
  
Angie laughed. "You are definitely not the normal student."  
  
"Neither are you. You seem sort of, well, ditzy."  
  
Angie grinned. "I get that all the time. I guess I am, just a bit."  
  
It was Rachelle's turn to blink. "Now who's not a normal student? Usually no one would let themselves get treated like that."  
  
Angela shrugged. "If people need to put me down to make themselves look better, then what's the point in valuing their opinion?"  
  
Rachelle blinked again. "You sound like a preacher. That's-deep."  
  
In the silence that followed Angela's ears pricked up. "Hey, did you hear that?"  
  
Rachelle closed her eyes. "It sounds like-it sounds like-"  
  
"Screaming." Angela finished grimly.  
  
"Yep." Rachelle shrugged. "Someone must be in trouble. Oh well, too bad- "  
  
She stopped talking as Angela grabbed her arm and started to run. "Come on! Let's see who it is and if they need help!"  
  
"Ah! Wait! Hold on!" Rachelle yelped, trying to dig in her heels. "I'm not that good at fighting-"  
  
"Then I'll fight for both of us!" Angela yelled enthusiastically, pulling harder. "Now come on!"  
  
"Oh, man." Rachelle muttered as the sound of the screams grew louder and more precise. "Not good, not good, not good."  
  
Angela chose to ignore these whimpers. She pulled Rachelle a little harder as the reached a small alcove in the park.  
  
A dozen guys-Angela and Rachelle immediately recognized them all as foolish bullies, morons with out an ounce of sense whatsoever- were torturing a girl, probably also around thirteen. Papers fluttered everywhere as one or two boys who jump in and snatch at a thick leather binder before darting away. The girl-with pale blue hair and angry eyes behind thick glasses- swung her book bag like a lasso, knocking several guys upside the head.  
  
Rachelle stopped in badly concealed horror before rushing to the blue- haired girl who had just been thrown onto a park bench. Angela ignored this. When a heavy, square jawed boy came within reach, she lashed out and hit him on the chin while her knee found his stomach.  
  
The boy let out a surprised grunt, and flew back a few feet. Angela ignored him and ran, with a yell, into the huge throng of bullies.  
  
At first the guys didn't know what had hit them. But when a few had been knocked back into various corners, Angela became visible.  
  
It still took them a few seconds to think of what to do. Then slowly, shuffling a little, they formed a semicircle, enclosing the three girls. The blue-haired girl was leaning on Rachelle's shoulder, glaring angrily at the gang. "Savages!" She shrieked. "Freaks! Unhand my papers!"  
  
Angela backed up until her knees touched the back of the bench. "I think your papers are the least of our problems." She muttered. "I can take four. Twelve's a bit too many."  
  
Rachelle bit her lip. "Now what? We get beat up too?"  
  
The pale, square jaw boy Angela had hit first was obviously the leader. He inched a few steps forward, as if baiting to strike again. Angela bared her teeth.  
  
The leader grinned. "You gonna regret messing with us, girl." He hissed. "We gonna hurt ya and your stupid friends."  
  
"Excuse me, we're stupid?" Rachelle snapped.  
  
The leader paused, trying to work this out. Then (a few seconds later) he snarled and started to charge. Angela prepared to leap at him-  
  
Before he had taken two steps the leader had suddenly been lifted and thrown violently through the air. A girl, with bright purple hair and eyes, stood there. Her eyes blazed as she charged at the pack of boys, roaring.  
  
Rachelle looked at the whirling bal of fists and yelps blankly. "Who's she and why's she helping us?"  
  
Angela shrugged. "I don't know, but she's going to get murdered if I don't help her!" With that she charged back into the fray.  
  
The boys were perfectly capable of picking on a helpless over laden schoolgirl, but against two girls with attitude and an ability to fight was beyond their area. In a few minutes, all twelve lay flattened on the ground, gasping for breath.  
  
The purple-haired girl spat with disdain at the ground. "Bullies." She muttered. "Worthless little cowardly crap."  
  
The leader bully struggled to sit up slightly. Grasping a whistle around his neck, he blew three loud calls.  
  
"That cannot be good." Rachelle called from the bench, where she was forcing the blue girl to sit still and not go and fight.  
  
As if on cue, twelve more boys appeared. The ground boys were slowly getting to their feet.  
  
The purple girl and Angela went back to back. "Think we can handle twenty- four?" Angela asked under her breath.  
  
The girl shook her head. "Those idiots. They only fight if they outnumber their victims twelve to one."  
  
Angela laughed nervously. "Victims, huh? Well, maybe Rachelle and that other girl can help."  
  
The leader yelled. All twenty four boys charged.  
  
The purple girl and Angela crouched low, and leapt to either side of the fray.  
  
In the confusion of so many people, many boys ended up hitting their neighbor. But a few good eyes landed on the two girls who had slunk to the middle. Pointing and yelling, the boys rushed at them again.  
  
The two girls clenched their fists-  
  
And suddenly the boys fell back wailing. It took Angela a moment to see why.  
  
Two girls, one with flowing yellow hair pulled back into a long ponytail, and one with hair blacker even than Rachelle's, stood defiantly facing the throng. The tall, black-haired girl held a sort of staff in one hand. She angrily hit one boy across the chest when he edged too close. He went flying and took another boy with him.  
  
The gang had had enough. One helpless girl had been nothing. Two strong fighters a bit worrisome. But four seemingly crazy girls were nothing to be messed with. Grumbling, the group jogged away.  
  
The black-haired girl stood looking after them, black eyes burning with cold fire. But the fire went out when she turned around, to be replaced by a friendly light. "Hi."  
  
"Um, hi." Angela said, staring at the girl. During the heat of battle, the girl had looked pretty and dangerous. Now that she had a good look, she was gorgeous. Black hair swirled up into a bun before falling all the way down her back. Cinnamon-y skin was complimented by her dark eyes. Her teeth were white and even, and she carried herself like a queen.  
  
The other girl grinned broadly at Angela. She, too, was pretty, though not in the glamorous way of the other girl. She had a pure, fresh beauty that reminded all onlookers vaguely of a rose petal. Deep blue eyes and peachy skin met waves of golden locks, and the look suited her entirely.  
  
"They look like models." Rachelle murmured from the bench.  
  
The blue haired girl had managed to fend Rachelle off by this time and had gone up to the four fighters. "I believe I owe you a debt for relinquishing your unused time to assist me. Thank you."  
  
After blinking a moment, Angela said, "Sure. No problem."  
  
The purple head absent-mindedly pounded one fist into her palm. "It was fun, and you looked like you were all in a spot of trouble."  
  
"Excuse me, she was the one in trouble, we came to help!" Angela said indignantly.  
  
"Well, you didn't do the best job of saving her." Rachelle snickered, coming up from the bench. "First you charge you, then you get outnumbered, goodness."  
  
"Would you have rather left her to get beat up?" Angela retorted.  
  
"Oh, stop bickering." The golden haired girl said, before Rachelle could retaliate. "That's not getting us anywhere."  
  
"Then what do you propose we do?" Rachelle inquired.  
  
The girl smiled brightly. "How about introduce ourselves?"  
  
Angela and Rachelle stared at her a second. "Well, yeah, I guess that makes sense." Rachelle muttered finally.  
  
The girl giggled. "Okay." She struck a dramatic pose. "My name's Malorie Mackey! I'm in the eighth grade at Chickahominy, and I like to read manga!"  
  
The black-haired girl smiled. "I'm Mary Harrison. I'm in the eighth grade at Chickahominy, I also like to read manga, and I can get very hyper!"  
  
Angela blinked at her. "You're in the eighth grade?"  
  
Mary's smile was somewhat bitter. "You and every guy I've ever dated. Yes, I'm in the eighth grade."  
  
Angela smiled, feeling somewhat idiotic. "I'm sorry. I'm a bit of a ditz. If you say you're in the eighth grade, then I've got no right to question it."  
  
Mary smiled back, a real smile this time. "Apology accepted."  
  
The purple girl cleared her throat. "Um, my name's Lacie Lipscombe, I did not dye my hair, contrary to popular belief, I also go to Chickahominy, manga rocks, end of story."  
  
Rachelle giggled. "I'm Rachelle Roberts, eighth grader. Chickahominy student extraordinaire. I love to write and I've got a boyfriend whose name is Kyle-" There was a glazed, starry look in her eyes now. "-and he's cute, and a perfect gentlemen, and SO sweet, and-"  
  
"Okay!" Angela laughed nervously, lightly punching Rachelle. "Enough!"  
  
The blue haired girl smiled and adjusted her folder. "I am Elisha Tehan, and I also reside as a student at Chickahominy. I am a bit of a newbie at anime-loving, but I assure you, I believe I shall enjoy it."  
  
"You're the genius girl, aren't you?" Malorie asked, curiously.  
  
Elisha blinked. "Well, yes, I suppose so."  
  
Angela stared at her a second before grinning. "And last but not least, I'm Angela Pirko, well-known manga maniac. I am smart and like to read and write, and I am NOT as much of a ditz as it first appears."  
  
Mary laughed. "Good, you were scaring me a second. You sounded like the ditz Queen."  
  
Angela scowled while the other girls giggled.  
  
The chilling sound of a scream tried to break its way through the laughs. It was so faint that at first it reached only Angela's burning ears. With the first notes Angela started, then raised her head to hear above the cackles. As the girls saw this the laughter died away, to be replaced by a listening stillness.  
  
Rachelle finally broke the silence. "Someone's in trouble."  
  
"Again?" Mary sighed.  
  
"It's none of our business." Lacie said, firmly. "What are we, Rescuers Inc.? Besides, it might just be those brain-dead Neanderthals trying to get back at us."  
  
Elisha glanced around uncertainly. "I might possibly be mistaken, but those sounded like very feminine screams."  
  
Lacie blinked. "Well-"  
  
"What are we waiting for?!" Malorie said enthusiastically, pumping her fist. "We can take them! Let's go! We'll kick their butts!"  
  
Angela grinned. "She's right. Let's make tracks!"  
  
The six girls started jogging nonchalantly towards the screams, occasionally still joking and talking.  
  
But as the screams grew closer and louder, all talk died. The process slowed. Uneasy and edgy glances were thrown back and forth.  
  
Finally, when the owner of the screams was only a few yards away and hidden my bushes, Rachelle sat down on the pavement. "I refuse to go any father." She explained, matter-of-factly.  
  
"Now, Rachelle." Elisha said, comfortingly. "We have to do our duty and citizens and assist the needy-"  
  
"Fine." Angela said. "You can sit there and refuse to help. I'm going to go stop whatever's causing those yells."  
  
Rachelle shifted, uncomfortable. "I didn't quite mean that."  
  
Angela smiled. "Good. Then you'll come?"  
  
Rachelle hesitated, then laughed. "Something about you almost requires obedience. Yes, Master." She got up and dusted off her rear end.  
  
"Well, let's do this!" Angela said, more to herself than anyone else. She took a deep breath, then jumped into the bushes.  
  
"Fun!" Lacie and Mary yelled as they simultaneously vaulted through after her.  
  
"Here we go!" Malorie said happily, shoving a few shrubs out of her way.  
  
"I hope we survive this." Rachelle muttered, gingerly picking through the plant growth.  
  
"Wait for me!" Elisha called, diving in last of all.  
  
After several feet of prickly plants all six girls emerged, scratched and a little worse for wear.  
  
"Really great idea, jumping through the bushes." Rachelle told Angela as she picked a twig out of her dark hair.  
  
Angela rolled her eyes and glanced around. "All right, what's happening?"  
  
Lacie glanced around, blinked at something, then pointed a single finger. "Um, perhaps that?"  
  
A tall blond man was leaning towards a girl around five years old. He was murmuring unintelligible words and smiling kindly. The little girl was crying and screaming, trying to force her way out of his grip.  
  
Mary rolled her eyes. "Just looks like a disagreement between father and daughter. Great."  
  
Rachelle shook her head. "I don't know, that doesn't look like a family match to me."  
  
Elisha edged forward and tapped the man on the shoulder. "Excuse me, sir, we were just wondering-"  
  
The man turned and looked at Elisha, smiling. "Yes, miss?"  
  
Malorie and Angela sighed. "Man, for a dad, he's hot!"  
  
Mary nodded, "Exactly. He's not exactly father material, is he? He looks about twenty."  
  
Rachelle, Lacie, Angela, and Malorie blinked as this sunk in.  
  
Elisha hadn't heard. She was returning the man's friendly smile. "Yes, we were just wondering if there was a problem here. We heard your daughter's screams and thought, well, perhaps someone was in trouble."  
  
The man blinked at "daughter", but then smiled wider. "Yes, she's just a bit upset at me now. I'll have to get her to calm down before trying to take her home, I guess."  
  
Elisha laughed politely, then walked back to the group. "Just an ordinary man with his bratty daughter. Our mistake. Now-"  
  
Angela moved forward and tugged on the man's shirt. He turned around again, looking as if he was hiding a look of annoyance. "Yes, miss, what is it?"  
  
Angela was tempted to whack the guy upside the head. "Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to step away from this girl."  
  
The man sighed patiently. "My daughter's just mad we didn't buy ice cream. Now, come along, Lizzie." He tugged at her hand. The little girl shuddered and tried to yank away.  
  
"I didn't ask you what you are doing, I asked you to get away from the child!" Angela moved forward and with surprising strength pried his hand off the girl's and flung him back a few feet.  
  
"Hey!" The man spluttered. "What's the idea?!"  
  
"Angela!" Elisha whispered, shocked.  
  
Angela ignored both of them. She kneeled down in front of the girl and lightly hugged her. "There, there. It's okay. Now what's your name?"  
  
The girl blinked up at her through swollen, tear-stained eyes. "Maggie Mulstead."  
  
"Oh?" Angela said, shooting the man a very nasty look over her shoulder. "That's funny. That man who claims to be your father said your name's Lizzie."  
  
Maggie tremble. "He's not my daddy. He's a witch!"  
  
"Hey, it's okay." Angela said soothingly, tousling the girl's hair. "I'm sure your dad's much nicer."  
  
"He is!" Maggie said enthusiastically. "He buys me sweets and takes me places. We were going to the animal place, but then Daddy said he had to take a phone call real quick an' then the witch came up and stole me."  
  
"Don't worry." Angela comforted. "We're going to chase the nasty old witch away."  
  
She didn't see the man coming up behind her with a very strange, hateful look on his once handsome face. But Rachelle and Lacie did.  
  
The man found himself being frog marched backward from Angela and Maggie. "Now sir," Lacie said calmly. "I believe our friend asked you to stay away."  
  
The man snarled.  
  
Some strange force broke Lacie and Rachelle away from the man and sent them flying into the bushes. Malorie and Mary gasped and ran to help them out.  
  
The man's kindness had disappeared. "Filth." He spat. "Don't ruin my clothes." He headed for Angela and Maggie again, his footsteps strangely silent against the pavement.  
  
Angela would not have known he was coming except for the sudden contraction of Maggie's pupils in fear. She turned.  
  
The man's hand was raised. As Maggie and Angela watched, it started to come down for them.  
  
He again found himself getting thrown backward into the same bushes Lacie and Rachelle were emerging from. They blinked as his form soared overhead.  
  
"Air delivery!" Lacie crowed, giggling.  
  
"Jet coming through!" Rachelle called.  
  
Malorie clutched a stitch in her side from laughing. "Did you see-oh my- did you see the look on his face?!" She gasped.  
  
Mary was rolling on the ground. "He looked like Elmer Fudd when Bugs Bunny comes up behind him out of the other hole!"  
  
"Elmer Fudd?!" Elisha shrieked, falling to the ground. "Oh no!"  
  
All five girls dissolved in helpless laughter. Even Angela's anger was waylaid by giggles. Maggie chuckled too, in a bemused sort of way.  
  
When the laughter finally died, Elisha came over to Maggie. "I believe we should try and find your father now. He's no doubt worried about you-"  
  
CRASH!  
  
Everyone jumped. "What was that?!" Malorie yelled.  
  
CRASH! BASH! THUMP!  
  
"It's coming from the bushes." Lacie said, peering into them.  
  
"What the heck could be making that sort of noise?!"  
  
CRASH!!!  
  
Mary yelped and pulled Rachelle out of the way as a nine-foot bush crashed down on the pavement where they had been.  
  
The blond man was back. His clothes were disheveled and torn. An insane, maniacal grin was plastered on his face, and a strange light danced in his eyes.  
  
Maggie let out a tiny scream and buried her head in Angela's shirt. Mary and Rachelle edged backward toward Elisha, Angela, and Maggie. Malorie and Lacie had ran to them the moment the bush had nearly crushed them.  
  
"Come here, girly." The man said. Along with his changed appearance, his voice had gone ice cold. Maggie whimpered in terror and clutched at Angela.  
  
Angela stood, letting Maggie hide behind her legs. Neither she nor any of the older girls had so much as let a drop of the fear they were feeling show.  
  
"Get out of my way." The man ordered.  
  
Mary's eyes had somehow managed to transform themselves into black glittering jewels. Elisha's, Angela's, and Malorie's eyes had gone ice blue. A red fire burned in Rachelle's, and sparks shot from Lacie.  
  
"I don't know who you are." Malorie pronounced slowly, proclaiming the unanimous opinion. "I don't really care. All I know is there's something very wrong with a person who hurts and scares little kids."  
  
"Only a human would think so-pathetically." The man sneered. "It makes me sick. The lot of you do!"  
  
"So you're saying your own race disgusts you?" Elisha asked, cocking her head.  
  
"My own race?" The man said. To their astonishment, he began to laugh. "My own race?! My race?! You actually think I would belong to a race of ground-pounding slobbering backwards primates?!"  
  
"Okay, so you're not a human." Lacie said, rolling her eyes at Mary. "Then what are you, an alien?"  
  
He smiled. "Precisely."  
  
"Nut." Mary muttered. There were murmurs of agreement.  
  
Suddenly a man with chestnut brown hair pulled back into a long ponytail swung down to land by the blond. "You called, Jedin?"  
  
The blonde man-Jedin-gave the brunette a sort of roving sneer. "Took you long enough."  
  
"I was looking for my own victim!" He said defensively. "And why do you need help, macho-boy?"  
  
"Honestly, using human words, Uther." Jedin teased. "How low can you possibly go?"  
  
Uther spat on the pavement. "Don't make me mad, Jedin. What d'you want?"  
  
Jedin jerked his head at the girls and Maggie. "These girls are giving me some trouble. I want them gone."  
  
Uther sized them up. "You need help? With a bunch of young human girls?"  
  
"Watch it, pal." Elisha warned.  
  
Jedin sneered at him again. "I'd like to see you try and tackle them physically, psychic psycho."  
  
"Fortunately I do not need to use your muscle-bound techniques." Uther remarked, giving the girls a look like they were a slab of meat and he was a carving knife. "I have my own way."  
  
Rachelle bit her lip. "There's something funny about him. Some strange feeling."  
  
Uther stepped towards them. The air shimmered, as if in a mirage.  
  
Angela felt as if someone was wrapping her in a thick woolen blanket and suffocating her. She couldn't move or breath, just wonder what was happening.  
  
Then the feeling started to vanish. All of the girls shook their heads to clear them. Malorie swung her blonde hair around, and then stopped as she saw Rachelle.  
  
Rachelle's face was taut with tension and concentration. She was biting her lip. The air around her flickered, as it did around Uther.  
  
Uther gazed at Rachelle oddly. "What were these humans supposed to be? Ours in disguise?"  
  
Jedin snorted. "No, you idiot. They're regular human children. Why, is one of them stopping your psychic powers?" He snickered.  
  
"Excuse me?" Lacie muttered indignantly. "Children?"  
  
Maggie whimpered. Rachelle blinked and seemed to come back out of a deep well. She smiled kindly at Maggie. "You'd better get out of here, sweetheart. I don't think these guys want to play nice."  
  
Maggie gulped, nodded, and then took off down the sidewalk.  
  
Jedin started to walk after her, but Uther threw out a hand to stop him. Jedin snarled, "A perfectly good energy-host is just sauntering away!"  
  
Uther looked at the girls with the hungry look in his eyes again. "Why go chasing after that weak little thing? We have six perfectly good ones right here."  
  
Jedin eyed them as well. "Several full tough ones."  
  
Uther shrugged. "We can handle them. One look at your real face would be enough to make them faint."  
  
"Yeah, well right now his face's enough to make me sick, so I wouldn't doubt it." Mary said simply.  
  
Elisha and Angela gave her discreet high-fives.  
  
Jedin smiled oddly. His teeth seemed suddenly to be pointed and sharp at the ends. Angela stared at them, fascinated. They looked like the teeth of a vampire, or some terrible beast of prey.  
  
Uther's ears seemed to prick up suddenly, like a dog's. His teeth were glinting pearly white in the sun.  
  
"Um, guys?" Malorie said timidly. "How about we get out of here?"  
  
"An excellent idea." Lacie said.  
  
They stood perfectly still for one more moment, then turned and bolted down the path.  
  
"We'd-better-split up." Angela panted. "We'll be harder to catch. Besides, if we keep going this way we might lead the freaks to Maggie again."  
  
"Right." Elisha gasped.  
  
"All right," Angela said, hearing footsteps getting louder and louder behind her. "Split up-now!"  
  
In a flash, the girls scattered. Jedin and Uther were left, staring in surprise, at where they had been a moment before.  
  
Lacie had vaulted over a bench and into the bushes, and was making her way to another path. Malorie and Mary had gone in the same direction, a small path to the right. But then Malorie had kept on the path whereas Mary had taken the path that had next connected to it. Elisha had cleverly ducked under a park bench covered with rather old and deaf people who merely glanced at her for a moment before going back to sleeping. Rachelle had quickly wrapped her hair up with a spare hair-tie and stolen the hat of an older boy. She then slouched against the back of a lamppost, hiking her shirt collar up around her ears.  
  
Angela had sprinted quickly ahead. She was now almost to the edge of the park. Just as she was about to slow down and take a breather, a long, low howl like the cry of a hunting dog ripped through the air from behind her. Angela gasped in terror and alarm. Somehow, the men had picked up her trail. She was confident they couldn't see her from this distance. So what had they done? Sniffed for her, like dogs? Heard her breathing?  
  
Animals, she thought, angrily clenching her teeth as she started running again. They're probably predators, like the kind who you hear about in newspapers. Rapists.  
  
Damn.  
  
A turn left at the road and Angela ran right into Mary. "Yeeowch!" Mary shrieked. "Don't do that!! You nearly scared me to death!!"  
  
"Same here!" Despite her fear, Angela grinned. "Let's split up again. They're right on my trail."  
  
Mary winced. "Yikes! See ya!" And she turned and took off. Chuckling, Angela ran the way she had been going, occasionally glancing back at the distant figures.  
  
Suddenly another figure hurled itself into her from a side path. Angela panicked-then saw it was only Malorie.  
  
Malorie managed a smile. "H-hey!"  
  
Angela weakly grinned back. "Scatter again."  
  
"Right. Scattering." Malorie disappeared back into some bushes, and Angela jogged onward, aware of the closer pressing shadows and speeding up even more.  
  
Finally, when it seemed that she was about to lose them-  
  
WHAM!!!  
  
With a sickening thud Angela was knocked flat on her back in the middle of the sidewalk, winded and at the bottom of a huge pile of kicking legs and thrashing arms.  
  
"Get off me!" She managed to gasp.  
  
There was no comply from the pile. Angela laid her head back and tried to suck in some air.  
  
Lacie's purple eyes suddenly peered down on her from the top of the stack. "Angela? Oh my gosh, everybody off!"  
  
There was some desperate squawking and commotion, then the weight on Angela's lungs was lifted. She gulped a few deep breaths and looked up at the five pairs of eyes, two blue, one black, one purple, and one red, that were staring down at her. "Well?" She asked. "Help me up!"  
  
Rachelle bent over and offered a hand. Angela accepted it. When she was standing again and had been thoroughly brushed off, she did a final check to make sure all body parts were still intact, then announced, "This is ridiculous! This is the third time I crashed into someone. What gives?"  
  
"Beats me!" Elisha shrugged. "I was just running along when all of a sudden, bam! Here I am kissing the sidewalk."  
  
Rachelle nodded. "It's the oddest thing. I thought I was headed to Main Street, but then I took a right and suddenly ended up here."  
  
"Took a right where?" Mary asked, spreading her arms. "We're in the middle of a sidewalk strip. There aren't any adjoining paths around here!"  
  
"Well then, what do you think happened?" Rachelle snapped.  
  
Mary shrugged. "Haven't the faintest idea. The exact same thing happened to me."  
  
Lacie nodded. "You're not going to believe this, but I was jogging around in the park! I took a side step through some bushes-and suddenly I was here!"  
  
"This is too weird!" Malorie said shakily. "Teleportation? In real life? Come on!"  
  
"There!" Someone cried a distance behind them.  
  
Elisha glanced back and cursed. "Those two idiots are still after us. Let's run!"  
  
"Split up again." Angela advised. Then she was gone.  
  
Malorie sprinted away to the right. She hadn't told them her story. She had been in a small second-hand corner clothes shop after meeting with Angela, hoping to hide from the strange men. She had been crouching in a rack of dresses for a few minutes, and had decided to stretch to get some feeling back into her legs.  
  
The clothes had vanished. She suddenly had been looking at Lacie's frightened face, then smashed to the ground just above Angela.  
  
She wondered if she was going crazy.  
  
"Malorie! Watch out!"  
  
Malorie yelped and threw herself to the side as Mary and Lacie collided where she had been a second before. Malorie sighed with relief as Mary and Lacie rubbed their heads and scowled-and then she immediately found herself crashed into by Angela. They both fell to the ground.  
  
"Ouch." Mary moaned, rolling over and feeling her ribs. "We crashed again."  
  
"Majorly." Lacie muttered, rubbing her elbows.  
  
"Look out!"  
  
Angela shrieked and rolled over as Elisha and Rachelle appeared where she had been. They managed to stop before colliding, but Elisha tripped over Malorie and ended up on her face.  
  
"This is getting too weird." Elisha muttered, picking herself up and helping Malorie.  
  
"Really." Rachelle huffed.  
  
"No, I mean really too weird. I was a block away from this street. I know because this is the candy shop I sometimes go to-" she indicated the building they had crashed in front of, ignoring the stares of the people inside, "-and I was near the museum."  
  
Angela nodded. "I know!! I was headed back to the park by way of bushes! Not possible I could end up here!"  
  
"Um, guys-"  
  
"I thought I was headed to the mall, but I guess if I ran into you people here, I couldn't have been, could I?" Lacie asked uncertainly.  
  
"Guys-"  
  
"This is impossible!" Mary raged. "I was going the opposite of you, Lacie! How'd we collide?!"  
  
"GUYS!!!!!" Rachelle shouted angrily.  
  
""What, Rachelle?!" Everyone bellowed back.  
  
"Evil men coming on turbo charge!!" Rachelle yelled, pointing down the street.  
  
"Split up again?" Elisha wondered.  
  
Angela shook her head grimly. "Uh-uh. No way. No more painful collisions. Obviously something wants us to stay together, and if it's going to force us so painfully, I'm going to agree with it. We stick together."  
  
"We'll be easy targets!" Mary argued.  
  
"We'll deal with it!" Angela yelled, pulling her hand and starting to run. "Now we've got to move!"  
  
"She's right!" Lacie cried. "Move!"  
  
The girls took off, but this time stayed together as close as a wolf pack. Once in a while Angela or Lacie or Mary would glance back to check on their pursuers, then would turn around, faces grim and grimmer.  
  
"I-don't-think-I-can-run-much-farther!" Rachelle panted, clutching at a stitch in her side.  
  
"Just a little further!" Malorie encouraged, wiping her brow. "Then maybe we can come up with a plan to lose them."  
  
"Why are they still following us?" Mary gasped, glancing back again. "I mean, come on, there a hundreds of people out on the streets all around us!!"  
  
Angela shrugged, "They're mad at us, remember? We saved that little girl. We made them look like idiots."  
  
A car in the street suddenly swerved over onto the sidewalk. Startled, the girls all jumped aside into the street.  
  
"Maniac! Baka!" Elisha yelled, making a rude sign at the car's back fender.  
  
Suddenly, the manhole cover in the street in front of them opened. Angela stared at the hole. It was a deep pitch black, so she couldn't see who had opened it.  
  
The hole suddenly started to grow. It enlarged until it was half the size of the street. Now it was glowing with purple and black lights, and swirling like a whirlpool.  
  
"Ahhhhhhh!" The girls shrieked as a wind stared to suck them towards it.  
  
"What is that thing?!" Rachelle cried.  
  
"Not good!" Mary yelled back  
  
"Oh God!" Malorie yelled as a ribbon in her hair untangled and was sucked in.  
  
"Unnhhh!" Angela grunted, trying desperately to hold her ground.  
  
A huge wind suddenly lifted her off her feet. With a scream, she flew into the vortex.  
  
"Angie!" Rachelle screamed.  
  
"Angela!" The rest of the girls shouted.  
  
"Oh noooooooo!" With a wail Rachelle was also lifted off her feet and immediately sucked in.  
  
"Rachelle! Angie!" Malorie yelled. "What happened to them?!"  
  
She was buffeted forward to the edge of the hole. "Malorie!" Mary, Lacie, and Elisha yelled, desperately trying to hold onto her.  
  
The wind picked up again. This time Malorie, Mary, and Elisha were all thrown in, shrieking.  
  
"Guys!" Lacie yelled at the edge. "I'll find a way to get you out-no!"  
  
The wind, with its final burst, grabbed Lacie and picked her up into the air. She kicked and screamed, for she felt like an invisible hand was holding her just above the chasm. Then it dropped her, and she fell in, trying vainly to grasp the sides.  
  
The hole shortened, then closed entirely. The street was empty.  
  
The girls had completely vanished. 


	2. The Past Revealed! The Jewel Senshi's H...

1 Chapter Two  
  
Visions spun in front of Angie's eyes. The girls.falling.a spinning hole.Rachelle.Malorie.Mary.Lacie.Elisha..no.  
  
Her head was being pressed up against something hard and cold. Her sight swam, whirled, then everything took their place.  
  
"What the-?!"  
  
Angela started, and then jumped to her feet off the cold floor where she had been lying. She stared around in wonder.  
  
She was in space.  
  
Constellations flew around her eyes. Orion, the Big Dipper, Andromeda, Cassiopeia, Taurus, Cancer, and Draco. Her eyes sought out each of these. She gasped as she found Gemini below her feet. Nausea rose in her stomach.  
  
"Whoa."  
  
At the sound of the familiar voice Angela spun around. "Rachelle?!"  
  
"Angie!" With a cry of gladness Rachelle ran to Angie and hugged her. "You're okay!"  
  
Angie hugged her back. "Yeah, I guess. How are you?"  
  
Rachelle put her hands on her hips. "Baffled. What the heck's going on here?"  
  
"Ouch!"  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"Get off me!"  
  
Angela turned at the sound of three more voices. "Mary! Malorie! And- Elisha? Is that you under there?"  
  
Elisha's muffled voice came from under Mary and Malorie. "Yes, it is. Now would you mind getting off me?"  
  
Mary rose and hugged Angela before pulling her back and staring into her eyes. "You're all right?"  
  
"As well as can be expected." Angela assured her.  
  
Mary sighed, then hugged her and Rachelle.  
  
"Mary!" Angela protested weakly, laughing. "You're squishing us!"  
  
"Aw, group hug everyone!" Malorie laughed, charging into Mary's back.  
  
Elisha giggled as she joined.  
  
"Wait!" Rachelle called. "Where's Lacie?"  
  
"Wheee!"  
  
Mary grinned without turning around. "Perhaps she just came in behind me?"  
  
"Lacie!" Angela cheered, opening the circle to hug her.  
  
"Group hug!" Malorie cheered.  
  
After a moment of hugging, everyone broke free. Rachelle rubbed her eyes on her sleeve. "It's incredible how glad I feel that you guys are okay. We haven't even known each other an hour, but I feel like we've known each other forever."  
  
"Yeah, I got this déjà vu thing going too." Elisha said, smiling.  
  
Lacie studied the sky. "Interesting. So, where the hell are we?"  
  
Mary shrugged. "Beats me. All I remember really well is that freaky hole."  
  
"And our pursuers." Malorie muttered, shivering.  
  
Angela nodded. "Well, wherever we are, I'll bet we're away from them."  
  
"Unless they're aliens and they've taken us on board their mother ship! BWAHAHAHA!" Mary crowed.  
  
"Not funny." Malorie said, giving Mary a dirty look.  
  
"Well, I think we're in space, at least." Angela said, looking at what she hoped was the North Star.  
  
"But then how are we breathing? There's no air in space." Rachelle remarked sensibly.  
  
"Projections?" Elisha suggested, peering around.  
  
"From where?" Lacie asked.  
  
"It's not a projection."  
  
All six girls jumped three feet. "Who's there?" Angela yelped, glancing around.  
  
"I'm right here." The voice said again.  
  
"Where?" Mary asked, spinning around.  
  
"Down here!"  
  
Angela glanced down, and sharply caught her breath.  
  
A golden haired cat was peering up at them. It would have been a very normal cat, but it's fur looked a little too bright and thick. Its eyes shone like stars and there was a golden crescent moon in the middle of its forehead.  
  
"A TALKING CAT?!" Angela yelled, falling over and deafening everyone else.  
  
The cat gave her a cold look. "My name is Lune and I've searched a very long time for all of you."  
  
"OH MY GOD!! IT'S REALLY TALKING!" Elisha shrieked, losing herself completely.  
  
"Well, of course I talk." The cat-Lune-snapped. "Don't you?"  
  
"Yes-but-well, cats don't normally talk!" Rachelle cried, struggling for  
  
composure.  
  
"Well, I do. So deal with it." Lune said snippily.  
  
"No need to get sarcastic." Mary said sharply. "We've got reason enough to  
  
question. In our world, cats do not talk."  
  
"Nor do people get pulled into space warps by telepathic animals, but you six just did." Lune remarked.  
  
"You pulled us in here?!" Lacie yelled, grabbing Lune and throttling her. "You evil cat! Do you realize how much you scared us?!"  
  
"Put-me-down!!" Lune choked.  
  
"For God's sake-Lacie, drop it!" Angela shouted, managing to free Lune from  
  
Lacie's maniacal grip. Lune fell to the ground, breathing hard. Then she  
  
crossly scratched Lacie's leg.  
  
As Lacie jumped around and hollered, Lune muttered, "I wonder how Luna felt when she was confronted by that little ditz. I've got six of them!"  
  
"Wait-what did you say?" Mary asked, pouncing on Lune and picking her up.  
  
"I said, I wonder how Luna felt when-"  
  
"Luna?!" Rachelle yelped, leaping towards her. "Luna, the all-knowing mystical  
  
cat of the Sailor Senshi?!"  
  
Lune glanced at her sharply. "So you have heard of them."  
  
"I should think so!" Elisha said indignantly. "Sailor Moon is my favorite  
  
anime!"  
  
"Mine too!" The rest of the girls chorused.  
  
"Wait-you've all heard of them?" Lune asked breathlessly. "This is an  
  
unexpected bonus. That means I don't have to explain their history as well as  
  
yours!"  
  
"Our history?" Lacie asked, giving her leg a final inspection for bleeding.  
  
"Heck, my history's not that interesting." Mary said. "Born, lived, went to  
  
school-"  
  
"Not your present history." Lune said impatiently. "Your far past. The Jewel  
  
Senshi's past."  
  
What she clearly thought would mean something to them was met only with blank  
  
stares.  
  
"Jewel Senshi?" Elisha wondered. "Who're they?"  
  
"Beats me." Angela said with a shrug. "In all my years of anime-loving I  
  
haven't heard of them yet. Maybe it's a new one."  
  
"It isn't a cartoon!" Lune snapped, this time with deadly seriousness. "It's as  
  
real as-as Sailor Moon and her Senshi!"  
  
All the girls gasped.  
  
"But-but-they're just cartoons too!" Mary protested weakly.  
  
Even in her bafflement, Rachelle almost laughed at the expression on Lune's  
  
furry face. "Only cartoons? ONLY CARTOONS?! We are talking about the most powerful people that ever have been and ever will be and you are saying they're  
  
not real?!"  
  
"But they're not.are they?" Elisha asked, puzzled.  
  
Lune tried to recover. "They are as real as I am!"  
  
"But how do we know you're real?" Angela asked.  
  
Lune gave her a scathing look, then bit her hard on her leg. Angela yelped in  
  
pain and flew backward, grabbing her leg. "Owowowowowow!"  
  
"Real enough?" Lune asked sardonically.  
  
"THAT WASN'T NECESSARY!!" Angela howled, tears starting to squeeze out of her eyes.  
  
"Oh, shut up." Lune snapped.  
  
Malorie knelt down by the cat. "Okay, so we know you're real. But what are we  
  
doing here? What's happening?"  
  
Lune sighed. "You really don't know?"  
  
The girls shook their heads mutely.  
  
Lune sighed. "Then I guess I'll have to explain it from the beginning."  
  
"The beginning?" Mary asked suspiciously. "I don't like the sound of that!"  
  
"From the Silver Millennium," Lune said quietly. "When all of the universe was one."  
  
Staring into the cat's golden eyes, Angela suddenly had the peculiar feeling she was looking into more than just eyes, but into a whole other world. Then the floor under her feet lurched, and she was falling into those golden eyes, right into the black pupil.  
  
She gasped and shook her head. The dark blueness of the space suddenly became more distinct and blacker than ever. Lune had vanished from her view.  
  
"Where are we?" She asked, hearing her voice echo.  
  
"I'm not sure." Rachelle said, coming up beside her.  
  
"Did we-fall into Lune's eyes?" Mary wondered.  
  
"But that's impossible." Malorie murmured.  
  
Elisha, looking off into the distant stars, suddenly gasped and pointed. "Look! Is that-"  
  
"The Sun?" The rest of the girls chorused, staring in wonder.  
  
Lune's voice suddenly spoke: "Our world went on forever. There was not one planet with life, but thousands, each teeming with sentient life. But they were many millions of miles apart. The only ones holding life that were close together were the seven ones that revolved around Sun."  
  
"Seven planets?" Malorie gasped.  
  
"With life?" Mary wondered.  
  
"Earth, Moon, Rayearth, Icephir, Tyrantula, Opal, and Megatron." Lune said softly, as if reciting some ancient rune. "All incredibly powerful, but unique in their own ways. Different cultures, different governments, and different Senshi. Some specialized in the arts, others in mechanics and technology, and a few in both. All of them very peaceful and friends, but three were especially close."  
  
"Which three?" Elisha whispered.  
  
"Earth, Moon, and Opal." Lune's voice said quietly. "All were very like each other. They all were very advanced in the arts as well as technology, but Earth preferred science to magic and Opal loved arts more than manufacturing. Moon people loved not one but cherished both, and went far in both fields."  
  
Lune paused a moment, then continued in a normal voice. "The true Sailor Senshi were a joint team between Earth and Moon. The other planets had Senshi that went under different names. Like Rayearth, who had the Legendary Magic Knights. But Opal was blessed with the second largest amount of Senshi: the Jewel Senshi."  
  
Angela shrieked in surprise as they suddenly zoomed forward through space towards the Sun. Planets started to zoom by their vision. Pluto, Neptune, Uranus, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars-  
  
Rachelle gasped in awe. "There they are!"  
  
It was incredible. Earth's blues and greens nicely set off the Moon whiteness as they spun closely together. Then, just to the side of Earth, they saw-  
  
"Opal." Lune said, voice quiet and sad again. "Like it once was."  
  
A jade green and lapis lazuli blue planet was slowly spiraling towards them. It looked much like Earth, except all the continents were shaped oddly.  
  
"It's beautiful." Malorie breathed.  
  
"Breath-taking." Lacie sighed.  
  
"The others planets are to your right." Lune said. Elisha pointed out an electric blue planet made of ice-"Icephir,"-and then Mary saw a dove-gray planet shrouded in swirling fogs-"Megatron," An orange planet was Tyrantula, and a planet that looked almost the same as Opal and Earth except the seas were a lighter blue was Rayearth.  
  
"The Seven Great Planets." Lune said. "Powerful, prosperous, and beautiful. Ruled by Queen Serenity. Everyone expected the Silver Millennium to go on forever."  
  
A terrible sadness came into Lune's voice. "But then things changed. Evil creatures began to appear in odd corners. And then, in the last century of the Silver Millennium, the curse of Opal came true."  
  
"Curse of Opal?" Mary whispered.  
  
"Just before Queen Serenity came to the throne, a prophecy came from a psychic on the Moon saying that this happy time would end with one born from Opal's soil. This prophecy was told to few, as the Queen did not wish to alarm the universe. But Opal ignored this curse as just a mockery, and went along their daily lives." She sighed. "Perhaps if they had heeded it the tragedy of the Moon would not have occurred."  
  
"What do you mean?" Rachelle asked slowly.  
  
"Beryl-Queen Beryl of the Negaverse-was once a Jewel Senshi."  
  
All the girls gasped.  
  
"Yes," Lune said sadly. "Beryl was from Opal. A never-ending cause of shame to its people. Now, I suppose I should tell Opal's story, the beginning of the end for the Silver Millennium."  
  
Lune cleared her throat, and began:  
  
"About forty years before the Silver Millennium's end, a small girl was born to a rich and popular couple on Opal. She had red hair and dark eyes, and was a cute and simple child. Her parents and indeed all of Opal adored her, especially the king, Titan."  
  
The girls' visions zoomed into Opal, past silvery clouds, and straight towards a large, marble-looking palace. A small child, with auburn-red hair and dark eyes was running around a marble pillar while a man with a mass of dark hair and hazel eyes watched affectionately.  
  
"Titan was a good-looking man, in his own way. Not particularly handsome, but he was as good-looking as a king should be. He was, like other rulers, several centuries into his life when Beryl was born, but truly he looked only twenty-five. He had been looking for a bride for many years, and fell in love with Beryl's child sweetness from day one."  
  
The man-Titan-smiled as the child Beryl ran from the pillar to hug his knees, then jump back, blushing.  
  
"As Beryl grew older and even more into the people's heart, Titan decided to give her the power that hadn't ever been given to someone of Opal. The greatest honor there was, next to being royal. The power of the Sailor Senshi."  
  
The girls watched silently as the little girl grew up like a tree. Her hair grew fuller and longer, her figure more fully formed, and her eyes darker than ever. In the background some people watched her nervously, as if a tangible dark presence tainted the air around her. Titan watched her blissfully, unaware of any changes. Then, Beryl was changed, changed into the form that only the brightest and the best would ever wear: the Sailor Senshi uniform. The uniform was a light aqua color with dark green veins running through it. The look on Beryl's face was terrifying, like a madman plotting an attempt to take over the world.  
  
"Beryl was ten when she first transformed. She was awed and amazed by these new powers she had and took to practicing at all hours. At first this seemed harmless, even amusing. But then things started to get out of hand."  
  
The darkness in Beryl's eyes went even blacker. Her nails started to look claw-like. More people skirted around her hesitantly, fear etched on their faces.  
  
"On Beryl's twelfth birthday she used her powers to burn a guest who had made a comment about her chosen dress. A few months later she badly wounded a fellow chess opponent when it looked like she would lose. The complaints of these attacks started to pile up, and Beryl began losing favor in the royal court."  
  
Mary gasped in horror as fangs slowly grew from Beryl's teeth. Now no one went even close to her, not even her own parents. Only Titan was nearby now, still smiling in happiness.  
  
"Finally, at age fifteen, no one could doubt it: Beryl had gone bad. Worse than bad. She had turned downright evil. Many were afraid to meet those dark eyes now. Many urged Titan to banish her, but his love for her still existed, and he was unwilling to make any sudden moves."  
  
"Then, suddenly, around her seventeenth birthday, Beryl vanished. There one day, gone the next. No one knew for sure what happened to her, but soon her Senshi powers came back to the planet and went back to the planet's core of power. Queen Serenity believed that was when Beryl fully abandoned herself to Metallia and darkness."  
  
"And the rest is history." Elisha said, sighing.  
  
"No!" Lune snapped, making all the girls jump. In a calmer tone, she said, "No. This story is far from over. For around Beryl's tenth birthday, another child was born to the Duke and Duchess. Beryl's sister, Ruby. She favored her sister in many ways, with long red hair and dark eyes, but she showed no signs of evil whatsoever. She was well-mannered and behaved, and was gentle and kind as well. As she grew, so did her kindness, until she was another kingdom favorite, greater than her sister. But she was still in Beryl's shadow where the king was concerned, for he almost completely ignored her."  
  
A small child, looking much like Beryl had, ran around the King's knees as Beryl had once done, smiling happily. But the happy expression on the King's face had gone. Now he looked miserable, and only sighed as he looked at the happy child.  
  
"What would happen to her is one of the great tragedies of our time. Titan, heart-broken by Beryl's disappearance, saw for the first time her eight-year old sister in a new light. He began giving her absent-minded little gifts, not much, a jewel here, a book there. But this began to grow on the girl until she realized she could perhaps manipulate the king to give her more and greater things. She began to hint at what she wanted, and usually she would get it, until by ten she was starting to take some of her sister's tendencies."  
  
"Titan, bless his name, didn't notice this. He did not love Ruby, but she so reminded him of the sister he had loved that he chose to make her Crown Princess of the Realm who would rule when he died. He also blessed her with the thing most of us had least expected: Senshidom."  
  
Ruby's sweet little face suddenly grew a few years older. A blood red Senshi uniform appeared on her. Her eyes turned black, and a hint of a cruel smile played about her lips. People had begun to skirt around Ruby, as they had Beryl. Ruby took no notice of this, just smiled sweetly at Titan who passed her a jewel.  
  
"Ruby became a nightmare. She wouldn't listen to anyone, not even her parents, without the title of 'princess'. She began to use her powers almost immediately, at first only for good, but punishing mistakes like a slave-driver. If her breakfast was late of burned, the servant would face twenty lashes. If her harp broke a chord, her music teacher would receive a lump on his head for not oiling it properly, and so on and so forth."  
  
"Then, when Ruby was sixteen, along came Jemma."  
  
A small, slightly plump girl with chestnut hair and large, doe-like brown eyes appeared close to Titan. As he was about to pass another object to Ruby, he spotted her. The expression on his face changed from sadness to disbelief.  
  
"Jemma was a daughter of a member of the lesser court." Lune continued.  
  
"Not much to look at, is she?" Lacie observed critically.  
  
Lune gave her a deeply offended look. "She may not be beautiful, but her sweetness went right to Titan's heart. He was head-over-heels in love with her from the moment she spoke!"  
  
Malorie glanced at Angela. "Hey-Ange, what's up?"  
  
Angela gazed at the picture of the woman. "That looks a lot like my mom!"  
  
Malorie blinked. "It does?"  
  
Mary stared hard at the picture. "You know, now that you mention it, that does sort of look like my mom's hair. She's not that short, though."  
  
"She's about my mom's size." Rachelle offered.  
  
Lacie shrugged. "There are a few resemblances."  
  
"Weird!" Elisha proclaimed, to all's agreement.  
  
Angela was positive if they could see Lune, she would be beaming. "Aha! So all of your mothers look like Jemma in some way?"  
  
Each girl nodded.  
  
"Splendid. Now, please let me continue."  
  
Stung, Mary muttered. "Touchy."  
  
"Or perhaps I should just let you go back and face those Nega-monsters by yourselves!" Lune said sharply.  
  
"Shutting up." Mary said, promptly buttoning her lips.  
  
Lune sighed. "Now, where was I? Oh, yes-"  
  
"Jemma and Titan seemed like the perfect match for each other. They both loved each other dearly and within a month were talking about marriage. But Ruby objected."  
  
In the scene before their eyes, Ruby was angrily frowning at Jemma, who was clasped in Titan's arms.  
  
"Ruby took a special disliking to Jemma the moment she saw her. Perhaps she was worried her Crown Princess position would be taken away. Perhaps her fondness for Titan had grown to love. At any rate, she refused to be kind to her and her social life dropped even more. But she was civil to her, so at first there did not seem to be any problem."  
  
Jemma and Titan's clothes suddenly transformed to a pearly white dress for the lady and a black tux for the man.  
  
"When Ruby was seventeen, Jemma and Titan were married, and a happier couple was only to be seen on Moon a few years later. Titan showered his blushing bride with gifts and attention. But the flow of trinkets to Ruby had decreased to a special present once in a while. Ruby seemed not to notice this, and managed to fool herself to thinking she was still as popular and beautiful and before."  
  
Ruby's face had grown even darker. Jemma looked radiantly joyful. Titan looked as proud as a man could.  
  
"Ruby had started to forget she had any problem with Jemma and was beginning to be pleasant to her, when the word came that Jemma was pregnant."  
  
Jemma's waist suddenly grew much fatter. Ruby looked shocked.  
  
"This was a true blow to Ruby. Her Crown Princess title would be robbed from her now by whatever child would come. Her hate for Jemma returned, bringing with it some extra for Titan."  
  
Ruby had vanished from Jemma's side and now was watching a happy Titan talk to a flushed Jemma from some distance away. Hate was etched on every line on her face.  
  
"On the eve of Ruby's eighteenth birthday, the baby-or I should say, babies- were born."  
  
A terrible screech suddenly sounded in the girls' ears. Mary clapped her hands over her ears. "Ouch! What the-"  
  
Jemma and Titan were now beaming down into six different cradles. In each of them a baby was wailing.  
  
But, somehow, they didn't seem quite normal.  
  
"Um, excuse me," Malorie said, staring intently into one. "But why the heck does that one have blue hair?"  
  
"And that one's got white hair!" Rachelle yelped, pointing to a cradle right in the middle.  
  
"Green with a light green highlight?" Elisha wondered, looking into one on the end.  
  
"These are some freaky kids." Lacie muttered. "Look, that one's got purple hair like me!"  
  
"What's going on?" Angela asked. "What is this supposed to prove?"  
  
"These six baby girls in front of you are the six NeoJewel Princesses." Lune said haughtily. "Diamond, Emerald, Sapphire, Obsidian, Topaz, and Amethyst. The six identical sextuplets of Titan and Jemma."  
  
"They are not sextuplets." Lacie said firmly. "Look at them!" One white hair, one green hair, one purple, one black, one blue, and one yellow with orange streaks! Not normal or identical!"  
  
"And look at their eyes!" Rachelle said. "Two pairs blue, one amber, one green, one purplish, and one black! How on Earth can they be identical sextuplets?"  
  
"Because each of them inherited the same incredible powers!" Lune snapped. "At the time of their birth the same fortune-teller who had predicted Beryl's descent to the dark side also pronounced that these girls born on Opal and the Moon would inherit some of the greatest powers ever to grace the universe!"  
  
All of the girls blinked. "Whoa. That's pretty steep." Mary remarked.  
  
Lune sighed. "Now, to continue:  
  
"The sight of the six adorable baby girls so angered Ruby that her power, which had just been light before, suddenly took on a terrible aura of evil whenever she was too close to the girls. Pottery would smash. Curtains would rip. The cradles themselves would rock slightly back and forth-such was her psychic power and hate combined. She showed such an obvious hate for the girls who she believed had taken her spot as Princess that within a week Titan had her banned from ever seeing the children again, at least, not alone and not until they were grown up. It was not ever proved he would do away wit her spot as Crown Princess, but with her display of dislike, it was not hard to doubt."  
  
Ruby sat in a chair, glowering angrily at the six cradles. The white haired child was sitting up, and seemed to be staring at her intently. In a flash her cradle began to fling itself back and forth, then was promptly stopped by an interfering Titan, who pointed a finger at Ruby and then to the door, too angry at her to speak. Ruby went, a look of twisted hate and agony on her face, while from behind Titan picked up and cradled the white- haired child, who was still watching Ruby.  
  
"At being exiled from the girls' chamber, Ruby finally came face to face with the final truth: she was no longer popular or good. People completely avoided her now, and wouldn't even glance in he direction. This so hurt and angered her that she resolved to get rid of the only things in her way: the six tiny Princesses."  
  
Darkness flooded the girls' vision. Starlight gently came in patches. Lune appeared, sighing and rubbing the crescent moon on her forehead with one paw.  
  
"Well?" Mary demanded. "What happens next?"  
  
Lune sharply looked at her, then sighed. "I do not believe I should tell you the rest."  
  
Lacie and Elisha started to move toward her angrily, but Lune held up a paw. "That is, I believe you should see what happened for yourselves, not like it was just some fairy tale."  
  
The girls blinked at her. "Um-what?" Rachelle asked.  
  
"You'll be able to go inside my memories and see what happened like a movie!" Lune snapped. "Honestly, it's easy enough to figure out."  
  
"Now hold on." Rachelle said, pushing a strand of hair back from her face. "We can't go inside memories. It's strictly impossible."  
  
"So is falling through a manhole and coming out into an opposite universe!!" Lune snapped. "This entire thing is impossible and something found only in fantasies. Deal with it!!"  
  
"She's right." Angela said nodding. "Besides, this is pretty cool!"  
  
The other girls blinked at her.  
  
"What?" Angela said, injured. "It's an adventure!! I've always wanted something magical and incredible to happen to me!"  
  
After a moment, Malorie grinned. "Yeah, something so cool it would turn you into a hero. I gotcha. I feel the same way."  
  
The others nodded in agreement.  
  
"A-HEM!" Lune coughed loudly. "If we are done with pleasant conversation, it's time to move!!"  
  
Without warning another hole opened up under the girls' feet. With mixed shrieks and yells, all six girls fell in.  
  
Mary's vision was flooded with darkness. She blinked several times, but soon gave up trying to see anything. Malorie waved her hand in front of her face, trying unsuccessfully to see her hand.  
  
"Where are we?" Elisha asked quietly.  
  
"I don't know. I can't see a thing." Lacie replied in a hushed tone.  
  
A voice, that was neither light nor happy, came out of the darkness close to them. The girls fell silent, and listened.  
  
".that fool Titan," the voice said. "What an idiot. To fall in love with that dumpy woman. And now, they have daughters, do they? NO one will take my spot on the throne! Opal is my planet! Those little brats will have to go." Whoever was talking sniggered insanely. "Poor little Diamond. Poor Emerald and Obsidian and Amethyst. Poor Sapphire and Topaz. You won't live to see the beauty of my kingdom. Too bad. It's your fault. If you hadn't been born, I wouldn't have to kill you!."  
  
The voice died away.  
  
"That person," Lacie stated. "Was a lunatic."  
  
"Most definitely." Rachelle said. "Absolutely, over-the-top, screwy, nutty, and dotty. In-sane!"  
  
"That was Ruby." Angela pointed out.  
  
A hush fell over the group.  
  
"That witch had better not try anything." Mary muttered.  
  
"If she does, we can't stop her." Malorie pointed out. "It's already happened. This is in the past."  
  
"Still, it'll stink if she does." Angela mused. "Those kids are really cute."  
  
"I get an odd feeling from them." Rachelle said quietly. "Sort of a powerful feeling. Like they could SO kill me if they wanted to, so watch it."  
  
There were a few half -hearted giggles, then-  
  
"AHHH!" Lacie felt another hole open up. "Damnit! Here we go again!"  
  
"No more falliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!" Rachelle wailed as she began to drop.  
  
"This is really an annoying way to travel." Angela sighed.  
  
"I think I'm going to puke." Mary muttered.  
  
"Not on me!" Elisha yelped.  
  
"Me either, please! Other direction!" Malorie screeched, pushing Mary away from her.  
  
"Ow!" With a thud, all of the girls landed.  
  
"That hurt!" Angela whimpered, rubbing her behind.  
  
"No kidding." Rachelle muttered.  
  
"Well, now where are we?" Malorie asked, getting to her feet and staring about.  
  
"Wherever we are, at least we can see." Lacie mumbled. It was true, a few soft rays of light fell from large windows all around. Elisha could clearly see the night sky, but she could not identify any familiar constellations.  
  
"I think it's night." Mary said unnecessarily.  
  
"You think?" Elisha inquired cockily.  
  
"I feel like we've been here before." Angela said, glancing around.  
  
"Yeah, I've got the déjà vu thing going too." Malorie nodded.  
  
"Are those cradles?" Rachelle asked, pointing to some dark forms just out of the starlight.  
  
"Hey, I know where we are!" Angela said enthusiastically. "We're in the princesses' room!"  
  
"No!" Mary said sarcastically.  
  
Angela flushed slightly. "Shut up."  
  
Mary complied. In the silence that following a faint sound was heard. A hissing sound, like of a snake winding through the jungle.  
  
"What's that?" Malorie murmured.  
  
"Whatever it is, can it see or hear us?" Lacie wondered.  
  
"Shush!" Angela commanded. "I've got an idea of who it could be."  
  
"Who?" Rachelle asked.  
  
Angela nodded grimly, and pointed to a dark human shadow in the moonlight. "Who other than the crazy person herself?"  
  
"Ruby." Mary whispered.  
  
Two pairs of dark eyes glowed from the shadows. A lock of red hair was visible for an instant by moonlight before the owner carefully concealed it again. A guard in a corner snorted, then slept on. Ruby carefully made her way to the six cradles.  
  
"Oh, I can't watch!" Rachelle cried softly, turning her face away.  
  
Ruby leaned over the middle cradle. Angela thought she could dimly make out a tiny white haired figure asleep in it. Ruby tensed, then raised her right hand, terrible triumph burning in her eyes.  
  
"Oh no!" Mary squealed.  
  
"Don't!" Elisha whispered.  
  
Ruby's hand came down.  
  
A flash of white light suddenly illuminated the room. It was coming from the middle cradle. Ruby fell back, shrieking. The little princess, Diamond, was sitting up and watching Ruby again with bright blue eyes.  
  
Suddenly all of the princesses were sitting up and looking at her. Different colored lights played around each of them: purple, black, blue, green, and yellow, and of course the white. The lights swirled together, then shot at Ruby.  
  
Ruby screeched a horrible cry. The lights pulsated around her, darting in here and there to touch her skin. Whenever they did, a mark like a burn would appear on Ruby's perfect skin.  
  
Ruby was shrieking and clawing at the bolts. The guards started to awaken. The lights came together into one huge bubble of light. This bubble came down over Ruby and imprisoned her inside, then shot off into the sky, taking Ruby with it.  
  
The lights faded. The little princesses each sighed, then lay back down, curled up, and went to sleep.  
  
All of the guards and the girls stared at the cradles, looking rather shell- shocked.  
  
"That," Malorie said finally, "was some very powerful butt-kicking."  
  
"Those kids are like mutants!" Elisha whispered.  
  
"Very, very, VERY powerful mutants!" Rachelle murmured.  
  
"They're not mutants." Mary said confidently.  
  
"Whatever they are, they're some mighty powerful little dudes." Lacie said, rubbing the back of her neck.  
  
"Don't you guys get it?" Angela asked quietly, looking at the cribs.  
  
The girls stopped and stared at her.  
  
"These kids are more than just 'very powerful'," Angela whispered. "They're incredible. They're going to become the Senshi Lune was talking about, the Jewel Senshi. Their names-Diamond, Emerald, Topaz, Obsidian, Amethyst, Sapphire-all jewels. Can't you see it?"  
  
For a split second, Mary wondered if she saw Angela's hair turn a silky white and her eyes flash blue. Then she blinked, and the moment passed.  
  
"So what does that mean?" Rachelle wondered. "Are they-no, I don't suppose they'd be stronger than the Planet Senshi-would they?"  
  
"No," Lune's voice said, suddenly coming back very quietly and very seriously. "They are strong, but not strong enough to rival Sailor Moon or Mars or Mercury or Pluto or any of those Senshi. But they are strong enough to suit the needs of their planet. Now, please, let history commence. I believe I'll take over again."  
  
"The Jewel Princesses' power was recognized at that point. Ruby was blasted out of the solar system, Sailor and Princess powers stripped from her, and all but dead. The six little girls were decidedly tired the next day, but no lasting harm was done to them. But there was a problem: now Opal was short a Senshi. They needed seven for full protection, for Beryl's presence was beginning to be hinted at across the universe."  
  
Titan and Jemma appeared again with worried expressions as they looked down into the cradles. Titan murmured something to Jemma, who shook her head and replied softly.  
  
"The King and Queen were worried. Even if they did have a child, it wouldn't come for another nine months at least. But then, there was a surprise package."  
  
A seventh cradle, with red blankets, appeared beside the other six. Inside was a dark-haired, scarlet-eyed child who was bawling at the top of her lungs.  
  
"Jeez!" Angela said, rubbing her ears. "That nearly blew out my eardrums!"  
  
"No kidding. Forget the power, these little ones have incredible voices!" Rachelle remarked.  
  
"So," Mary said, offhandedly. "Which jewel is that one? Rose Quartz? Lapis Lazuli?"  
  
"Garnet. Princess Garnet, the red jewel Senshi." Lune sighed melodramatically. "The future was secure. Opal had seven princesses and seven Senshi. Everything seemed set for Beryl's arrival, whenever it would come."  
  
"Uh-uh." Lacie said, shaking her head. "Not going to fool us this easily, cat. What happened to Ruby?"  
  
"Ah yes. The other half of the story." Lune sighed again, even more dramatically. "Let's see-"  
  
"Ruby wandered through space in the bubble of power, hate boiling in her heart but unable to break free. She flew past many systems of planets and stars, until one day she landed on a distant planet on the other side of the galaxy."  
  
Ruby, in her bubble, appeared again. But now she was thin, and pale. Her hair had lost its burnished shine, and there were bruises on her once perfect face. But her dark eyes still had a terrible deadly sparkle, that had, if anything, increased.  
  
A reddish planet suddenly appeared before the bubble. The bubble flew down towards it, and touched ground.  
  
Malorie and Angela sighed with pleasure as they saw what caused the pinkness. The planet was entirely covered with bright blossoms of beautiful flowers, sweet smelling and calming.  
  
Ruby stared around her in wonder. She reached out for a flower, but was stopped by the wall of the encasement.  
  
"Those flowers are gorgeous!" Lacie sighed.  
  
"Mmmmmm." Mary murmured, taking a long sniff of the air.  
  
Rachelle bent down and touched a flower. "I don't know." She muttered. "I'm getting a bad feeling from this planet."  
  
The planet's ground suddenly shook beneath their feet. The girls screamed and threw themselves on the ground amongst the flowers. Elisha saw Ruby's face turn to horrified puzzlement, then a look of crafty suspicion came over her features.  
  
The flowers stared to twist up until they formed what looked like a cloak out of petals. The pink color of the petals vanished, to be replaced by a twilight shade of purple. The purple cloak flew up, and suddenly, in midair, stopped, and swished around till it looked like it was covering a human form.  
  
"There's an invisible person over there." Angela whispered, throat dry.  
  
"Now I know I'm getting a bad feeling." Rachelle hissed.  
  
The cloak swayed, like the person inside it was breathing. Lacie saw a dark crystal glowing from just inside the hood, like some terrible dark eye.  
  
Realization clicked in Mary. "That's-that's chaos." She whispered. "I remember from a picture I saw on the net."  
  
"Then where's Galaxia?" Angela whispered.  
  
"Hold on, is everyone here a die-hard Moonie fan?" Elisha asked crossly. Why didn't you all tell me before? I love Sailor Moon!"  
  
"Quiet!" Rachelle hissed. "That thing is saying something!"  
  
A light breezed ruffled the cloak. One side let out a cloth fold so it looked like the invisible person's arm was headed for the bubble. There was a pause, and then the bubble blew apart and disintegrated. Ruby shakily got to her feet, and then bowed low to the figure.  
  
A low laugh issued from the cloak. "Sssssssssssoooo, you are Rrrrrrrruuuuuubyy of Opaal arrrre yyyouuuu notttt?"  
  
Ruby nodded slowly.  
  
"I ammmmmmmm Chaos." The figure stated. "Embodiiiiiiiiment of darknesssssssss. Why have youuuuuuu come herrrrrrre?"  
  
"Because those brats drained me and sent me away-" Ruby began.  
  
"Wrong!" Chaos hissed. "Youuuuuuu arrrrrrrrre here because I caaaaaaaalled youuuuuu."  
  
Ruby looked excited. Chaos stretched out an invisible hand and laid it on her forehead. "Dooooooo youuuuu wissssh to abandon everrrrrrrything you alrrrrrready know?"  
  
Ruby nodded.  
  
"Exxxxxxxcellent." Chaos purred. "I alrrrrrrrready havvvvvvve one faithfulllllll serrrrvant, so you'll jussssst have to use my powerrrrrrrrr for your own neeeeeeeeeds."  
  
Ruby looked disappointed at this statement, but then from Chaos's invisible hand a dark lightning bolt shot out and blasted Ruby on her forehead. Lacie and Rachelle screamed as Ruby's body burned, charred, and then turned to ashes.  
  
Angela turned away, gagging. Mary blinked once or twice. "Yuk."  
  
"No kidding." Elisha muttered, screwing up her courage and forcing herself to stare at the smoking body.  
  
"That's disgusting." Malorie whispered, burying her head in her hands.  
  
The cloak of petals suddenly blew apart from the wind. The dark crystal was gone. The flowers underneath the girls' feet started turning brown and gray, and crumbling into dust.  
  
"Look!" Mary said suddenly. "Look at Ruby's body!"  
  
"Do I have to?" Angela whined.  
  
"Yes." Mary said crossly. "Or I'll make you."  
  
Sighing, Angela turned around-and then stared.  
  
The ashes that had once been Ruby were swirling back up into a human form. Dark eyes suddenly opened in the ash face, and a cruel smile formed. Then the ashes blew away, leaving behind a tall, red haired human woman.  
  
"Ruby." Malorie whispered in a parched voice.  
  
"No, it's not." Angela croaked. "She's changed. That's not Ruby of Opal."  
  
It was true. Ruby's eyes were still dark, but they had such a tainted aura of evil that the girls could hardly bear to look into them. Her red hair flowed past her waist in long waves. A slim black dress swirled down past her feet, and a matching cloak billowed out behind her. A thin black diamond was glowing faintly on her forehead.  
  
Ruby stretched out a hand and stared at her blood-red nails. She flexed her fingers, then picked up a small rock and squeezed it. The rock shattered into pieces.  
  
Ruby stared down at the fragments, then looked up into space. Her smile widened.  
  
"Diamond." She whispered. "Topaz. Emerald. Obsidian. Amethyst. Sapphire." Her voice increased to a roar. "I'm coming back! Do you hear me, Diamond?! Rubian is coming back!"  
  
"Rubian?" Angela muttered. "Where the heck did she pull that name from?"  
  
"The depths of insanity." Mary said, smiling a little.  
  
Rubian's talking and the flowers' decaying suddenly halted. There was a "Pop!" and Lune appeared, scowling ferociously. (It forever bothered Angela in the future as to how a cat could frown or sigh or smile.)  
  
"You truly are ignorant children." Lune said, sighing.  
  
"Lune, do have a breathing problem? You keep sighing every ten seconds." Elisha asked, feigning concern.  
  
"Shut it, air-head." Lune snapped at Elisha.  
  
Elisha growled, and immediately charged at Lune and grabbed her around the throat. Lune promptly scratched her. As Elisha leapt about howling and screeching about removing claws, Mary gave Lune a hard knock on the head. "You behave, cat, or we'll have to punish you!" A look of fiendish delight came into Mary's eyes. "Now, how shall I do it? Shall I pull on your whiskers to see if they come out?" She gave Lune's whiskers an experimental tug.  
  
"Or shall I tug on your tail to make it stretch out?" She yanked Lune's tail and held her upside-down. Lune screeched and tried to scratch Mary, but to no avail.  
  
"Ohohohohohoho!" Mary cackled, swing Lune like a lasso. "Let's have some fun!"  
  
Angela, sweating, watched Mary torturing Lune. "She's acting like Presea." She muttered.  
  
Rachelle nodded, eyes wide.  
  
"Okay, cut it out!" Malorie said, running forward and rescuing Lune from Mary's grip. Mary let go with an, "Aww."  
  
"Really." Lune said in a lordly manner. "PUT ME DOWN NOW!" She suddenly screeched at Malorie, puffing up.  
  
Startled, Malorie dropped her. Lune landed flat on her back.  
  
"Whatever happened to cats landing on their feet?" Angela sniggered.  
  
Lune flipped right side up and glared at all the girls, sparks of white starting to fly from the crescent on her forehead. "SILENCE!"  
  
All six girls immediately shut up.  
  
"Now, can we please avoid any more interruptions?!" Lune practically screamed.  
  
All girls nodded mutely.  
  
"Good." Lune's fur went back down. She calmly cleaned a paw. "Ruby completely forsook the right way and accepted Chaos's gift. When she was reborn, her old name reminded her of the people she had hated so much, who had, in her mind, taken everything from her. So she changed it to something different but not to distant from the original." She glared at Angela. "Now you know where she got the name. Happy?"  
  
"Very much so." Angela muttered.  
  
On the planet things started to move again. The flowers wilted and died in bushels. Rubian had stopped talking and was now taking off and shooting into space, back in the direction she had come.  
  
"She's headed back for Opal!" Rachelle gasped.  
  
"She can't!" Angela said, a strange panic rising in her. "The Senshi- they're still just kids-they can't possibly defend themselves from her now- "  
  
"Did I mention that Ruby's trip to the stars took approximately fifteen years?" Lune asked innocently.  
  
"What-no!" Mary said, eyes bulging. "You mean that back on the planet, they're all grown up?!"  
  
Lune nodded smugly.  
  
"YOU STUPID CAT!!" Lacie screeched, pouncing on Lune and shaking her. "YOU NEARLY SCARED ME TO DEATH!!! DON'T YOU JOKE AROUND WITH US LIKE THAT!!!!!!"  
  
Lune managed a bite to Lacie's forefinger. Lacie dropped Lune and backed away, sucking on her finger.  
  
"I wouldn't suck on it, Lune's mouth was just on it." Malorie pointed out.  
  
Lacie's sucking turned to spitting. "Yuck!"  
  
"Meanwhile," Lune said loudly over Lacie's protests. "Back on Opal, each of the girls had matured into a beautiful and mature figure."  
  
The girls zoomed back across the galaxy. To Angela's delight, as they were nearing Opal, they got a good view of the sun rising over Earth. The rays hit the girls and warmed them. Rachelle sighed peacefully. "Gorgeous."  
  
For an instant a kind smile appeared on Lune's furry face. Then it vanished back into noble dignity.  
  
They zoomed in on Opal. Malorie couldn't see anything had really changed. There was one large continent, the palace was still made of marble and still very big. Only now-  
  
Malorie gasped and tugged on Angela's hand. "Look! The Palace-what happened?"  
  
Instead of one large palace, there were several different colored sections. On the border were castles and surrounding cities that were silver, red, blue, green, gold, purple, and black. Each had people milling around and conversing in it. There was still the main white palace, but compared to the areas around it, it seemed-diminished, almost.  
  
"That's so pretty!" Mary exclaimed, admiring the black castle.  
  
"For sure." Elisha said, gazing at a juggling troupe performing in a square in the blue section.  
  
Angela was biting her lip. ".let's see." She muttered. "Red for Garnet, blue for Sapphire, Green-Emerald, Black is Obsidian, Purple for Amethyst, and that leaves gold to be Topaz and Silver to be Diamond."  
  
Lacie nodded. "So they all have their own respective kingdoms? Why, did they get on each others' nerves?"  
  
Angela and Mary snorted. Rachelle and Malorie hid smiles behind their hands. Elisha choked back a laugh.  
  
Lune was less than amused. "They did NOT get on each others' nerves." She said loudly over Mary's sudden giggle fit. "Titan and Jemma decided it was right for them to govern their own castles for their own maturity's sake."  
  
"Why, did they all act like spoiled brats?" Elisha inquired innocently. The group fell in chuckles again.  
  
"If only you knew who you truly were-" Lune began, then abruptly stopped. "They weren't spoiled brats, but instead mature enough to handle their own kingdoms, and with seven daughters Titan and Jemma aged fast." She stopped, and then muttered something that sounded suspiciously like, "At least they weren't as bratty as you lot."  
  
"I heard that." Rachelle said angrily.  
  
"I know." Lune said smugly.  
  
"Okay, enough with snide comments on both sides!" Angela said, wiping a tear of laughter away. "Lune, get on with the freaking history lesson!"  
  
Lune gave them all a severe glare. "Just for your rudeness-"  
  
A hole opened to the side of Mary. With a shriek, she was sucked in.  
  
"MARY!" The girls cried as the portal closed.  
  
"What'd you do to her? Where'd you take her?!" Malorie shrieked.  
  
"The same place you're all going." Lune sniffed.  
  
Another hole opened by Malorie, and simultaneously one by Rachelle. They were both sucked in.  
  
"Rachelle? Malorie, come back here!" Angela cried, running towards the closing holes.  
  
"Bring them back!" Elisha yelled at Lune.  
  
"Honestly." Lune said. "No, I won't."  
  
Elisha yelped as a hole opened by her. "Oh, no you don't!" She yelled, grabbing the sides. "No way am I going anywhere! I want to go back to reality and out of this freaking dream now, thank you!"  
  
Lune gave her a scratch on her hand. She promptly let go of the sides and was pulled, cursing, into the hole's black depths.  
  
Lacie and Angela raced towards the hole, managing to stick their hands in before it closed completely.  
  
"Now what?" Lacie grumbled, trying to pull her hand free.  
  
The hole enlarged suddenly. Lacie found herself sucked in head first, followed by Angela.  
  
"Damn you, Lune!" Angela shrieked as her feet disappeared.  
  
Lune sighed then turned to face a large computer screen that had sprung up behind her. A black furry face with a gold crescent moon on it peered out at her. "Well, Lune?"  
  
"How on Earth did you deal with these little brats, Luna?!" Lune growled, frustrated.  
  
The cat on the screen smiled. "They prove themselves to you over time, little sister. Just wait. They'll grow up, and be stronger than you could ever possibly imagine."  
  
Lune sighed. "I hope so, or else Opal's doomed."  
  
* * *  
  
Wind whistled in Angela's hair. She peered vainly through the darkness, rubbing her head from where she had cracked it on the ground when her fall had abruptly ended. Besides her an out-of-breath voice asked, "Where on Earth are we?"  
  
Angela shrugged. "Got me. Lune pulled us into the psycho dream hole again."  
  
Lacie laughed slightly. "God, I want out of here. This whole thing is way over me. Elisha's right, I want to leave!"  
  
"We don't really have a choice, do we?" Another voice said to their right.  
  
Angela jumped. "Elisha?"  
  
"Yup. I've got Malorie here too. Where are Rachelle and Mary?"  
  
"Don't know. How are you?"  
  
Elisha sighed. Malorie piped up. "Been better and been worse." 


	3. The Past Revealed! Continued

Chapter Three  
  
A thin ray of light pierced the darkness. Angela squinted as the ray grew larger and larger.  
  
Lune's magnified voice suddenly spoke:  
  
"The last year of the Silver Millennium was filled with fear and worry. The planet's prepared for war. Measures were taken to build walls and battlements. Opal, Earth, and the Moon fused their powers together to make a special scepter for the Moon, with incredible powers. Earth's armies were somehow seduced to darkness by Beryl and Metallia, so the young prince, Endymion, escaped to the Moon to protect Selenity."  
  
Angela's heart twisted suddenly and unexpectedly. She bit back a sob. The story of Endymion and Selenity had always twinged in her heart a bit, but now she almost felt sick.  
  
Lune paused. "Their story is one of the most romantic and tragic of our times-"  
  
"We know." Angela snapped, brushing away a tear. "No need for reminders."  
  
The voice stopped, seemed to be about to yell at her, then sighed and continued. Mary winked at Angela. "You definitely know how to get on the cat's bad side."  
  
Another hole opened beneath their feet.  
  
"And you know that is a completely bad idea." Rachelle sighed.  
  
"Is this how she gets revenge?" Lacie demanded as they fell. "God! That little bitch-cat. She tries to tell us this stupid past-I have NO idea why- and then she drops us through about a dozen freaky transport holes! God!"  
  
"At least we're all together this time." Malorie pointed out cheerfully.  
  
"Great!" Elisha called. "Now we can all listen to each other's screams of terror."  
  
"Um, guys?" Angela asked. "We've already hit bottom."  
  
Elisha blinked and looked around. Malorie giggled. "Ouch. Swish! Three points for Angie for not losing her cool."  
  
A faint strand of music whispered through the air. Rachelle cocked her head to listen, eyes closed. Strands of lights pierced the darkness, coming from somewhere close by.  
  
"Where are we?" Mary murmured.  
  
Angela turned her gaze out to the horizon, and saw a red and blue palace in the fading twilight. "I think we're on Opal."  
  
"Yeah-how many tacky green palaces do you find, aside from in Oz?" Elisha said, pointing to another castle.  
  
"Hey! I like that castle!" Malorie said indignantly.  
  
Elisha snickered. "Green? Jeez, come on. Blue is so much cooler."  
  
"Nuh-uh! Yellow and green are the best!"  
  
"Blue!"  
  
"Yellow!"  
  
"Blue!"  
  
"Yellow!"  
  
"Oh, shut up." Lacie muttered.  
  
"I think we're in the center palace." Mary said, over the battle raging between Elisha and Malorie.  
  
"Hey, look! A window!" Malorie said, abandoning the argument to fly over to a large, multi-paned window.  
  
"Wow." She gasped. "You guys, come here! Check this out!"  
  
Hesitantly, the girls edged up beside her.  
  
What they saw made them all gasp.  
  
A huge ballroom, lit by many twinkling lights from the high ceiling above, was filled with hundreds of people. A band played with strange looking instruments that made music like nothing they had ever heard before. Hundreds of ballgowns swished elegantly and in a thousand colors. The women wearing them were all very pretty, as far as the girls could see, and the men quite charming, in their own ways. Flowers decorated pale marble walls and the scent of the blossoms lingered in the air.  
  
"Wow!" Mary sighed, gazing at the scene.  
  
"I know, it's beautiful!" Angela exclaimed.  
  
"No, it's not just the palace-that guy is a HUNK!" Mary said dreamily, gesturing to a long, silver haired young man sipping from a glass.  
  
"But he's too good looking not to be taken already." Angela pointed out.  
  
Mary gave her an injured look. "I can dream, can't I?"  
  
"Um." Rachelle sighed, eyeing a man with purplish black hair and purple eyes. "That guy looks kinda like my boyfriend. I wonder if he's as nice as Kyle, too?"  
  
Malorie, after tearing her gaze away from a man with brilliant red hair and a nice smile, pointed to one end of the ballroom.  
  
On a golden dais, upon seven golden thrones, there sat the seven Jewel Princesses. Topaz, Emerald, Obsidian, Amethyst, Garnet, Sapphire, and Diamond all looked incredibly beautiful. Topaz's yellow-orange hair was brought back into a simple ponytail with daffodils entwined in the catch. Emerald's hair, interchanging light and dark greens, fell in soft waves about her face. Obsidian's black hair was drawn up into a style much like Pluto's, except her hair was completely and utterly black, like the night sky. Sapphire's blue hair was somewhat bushy and fell to half-way down her back. Amethyst's purple hair had also been brought back into a ponytail, somewhat higher and fancier than Topaz's though. Garnet's dark hair flashed red in the light, and Diamond's silvery mane shone with its own special light, radiantly dimming the ceiling ones. Each girl wore a dress of their own color.  
  
"And for all that finery, they still only look fifteen." Elisha muttered.  
  
"They're gorgeous." Lacie murmured. "I mean that in an un-gay way." She hastily added.  
  
"Of course you did." Angela snickered.  
  
Lacie went red. "Be silent, small child."  
  
The girls watched as the seven princesses talked among each other and laughed. One by one, they were each swept away by handsome men. Mary angrily shook her fist as Obsidian went with the silver man she had been ogling over earlier, and Malorie sighed wistfully as Topaz took the hand of the smiling red man.  
  
"Oh, sure." Rachelle sighed as Garnet flirted with the purple-eyed man. "Go with her. Just because she's a beautiful princess!"  
  
Only Diamond was left on the dais now. She idly twirled a strand of silver hair around her index finger as she turned down a dance proposal. As the young man slunk back into the crowds, she quietly and quickly walked off the dais and towards the door that opened by the girls.  
  
There was instantly a huge rush as all six girls jumped behind a pillar.  
  
"Shh!"  
  
"Do you think she can see us?"  
  
"Maybe not, but there's no way I'm risking it!"  
  
From behind the pillar Angela peered out at Princess Diamond. She had gone to the edge of a balcony and was leaning against the railing, looking up at the stars. Light from the moon, which was large in the sky, fell across her face, making her hair and eyes sparkle.  
  
A sense of peace and pain filled Angela. Deep in her soul, a part was connected with Diamond. She knew, instinctively, how the princess must feel: all her friends had boyfriends, someone special to be with. And she was left alone in the moonlight.  
  
Just like Angela had been, before she had moved.  
  
"She's gorgeous, isn't she?" Lacie said again, peering out at the silent girl. 


	4. The Strange Warning! The Past Marches O...

"She's gorgeous, isn't she?" Lacie said again, peering out at the silent girl. "You sure you're not gay?" Mary muttered. Angela giggled as Lacie hit Mary on her arm. "Shut up." Lacie commanded. In the quiet, Rachelle stiffened. "Someone else's here." The girls started to unconsciously glance around. Angela peered deep into the shadows of the pillars. Rachelle glanced where Angela was looking. "Someone's in there. In the darkness." Chaos prevailed for a moment as all six girls flung themselves on the opposite side of pillar away from the shadows. Barely breathing, Angela risked a glance around the pillar. Now she thought she could see something in the dark, a shadow-blacker against black. A soft whisper inched through the air towards her. She was positive it wasn't an innocent whisper of wind, but the sound of a cloak. A low hiss echoed menacingly from the deepest shadowy point. At that, Princess Diamond turned, hand dropping to her side and bringing forth a short, thin blade. "Who's there?" The shadows were silent. Malorie squeaked. "I don't like this! It's creepy!" Angela smiled at her before turning back to peer even harder into the shadows. A pair of blue eyes suddenly flashed in the darkness. Angela gasped. "There he-she-it-oh, whatever. It's there, at any rate." "So who-or what is it?" Mary asked, peering around the other side. "Is it an it, a he, or a she?" "I don't know, I can't see!" Angela griped. Diamond's sword was raised. Her entire body was tense, and focused. Sky blue eyes flashed more brightly then the ones in the darkness. "I warn you, come out now. Or I'll come in for you." A low, terrible laugh stained the air, coming from the pillar's shadow. It was so evil all the girls shuddered. "That would be a male." Elisha remarked, teeth chattering slightly. Diamond had not even blinked. She pointed her sword straight at the darkest point. "Who are you and what do you want?" A dark voice cut through the darkness, sounding like the death-call of a serpent. "So you're the warrior princess." "My name is Diamond." Diamond said coldly. "Yeah, go girl, don't give him any ground!" Lacie cheered softly. "Oh, yes, the lovely head princess. Honored to make your acquaintance." The dark shadow said. There was a slight sneer in his voice. "Jerk." Mary muttered. There was a murmur of agreement. But Angela's heart heard the undertone in the man's cocky talk. Despite a very good disguise of disdain, underneath was a note of worry. Diamond's sword wavered just a fraction of an inch. "What do you want?" The black form within the shadows moved forward to the edge of the darkness. For a moment it looked like he would step out, but instead he stayed at the very edge, just out of the rays of moonlight. "The stars are pretty tonight." The person said calmly. "You should look at them." "No, she shouldn't, you asshole." Elisha muttered. Diamond's sword snapped right back up. "Hah. Right. Nice try. Actually, that was a pretty lame attempt to trick me." A sigh whispered through the air from the darkness. "Look at the sky." "No." Diamond said firmly. There was a bite of impatience in the man's voice this time. "Look, I don't have time. I'm risking my life coming here. I'm not going to kill you, rape you, torture you, or take you hostage, all right? I swear it." Diamond looked evenly into the shadows. "How can I believe you?" There was a long pause. "Don't!" Mary, Lacie, Elisha, and Malorie all hissed. "Do." Angela whispered. A black flash hurtled out of the dark and embedded itself in the ground a foot from Diamond. All girls squealed and jumped before realizing it was just a rose. A black rose. "You've got my word." The voice said slowly. "Ooooh, we have now reached the level of extensive creepiness." Rachelle said, shivering. Diamond hesitated, and then, not dropping her sword, turned and gazed up at the stars. All the girls behind the pillar peered up expectantly too. "Um, okay." Mary said, after a few seconds of this. "Are we supposed to see something?" Malorie wondered. "All I see are a bunch of little dots." Lacie said. "Those would be stars, Lacie." Mary said in a snooty professor tone. She grinned at Lacie to show she was joking. "Hah-hah." Lacie muttered. Diamond glanced back at the shadows suspiciously. "I see nothing out of the ordinary." "No?" The shadows inquired. "Look harder." Once again, Diamond looked up. "I still don't see anything." Lacie grumbled. "Wait." Malorie said, pointing at something. "What's that?" All the girls peered at where she was pointing. A tiny red dot, slightly bigger than the rest of the stars, was moving quickly through space. It was headed off at the Moon. "A red comet?" Diamond asked softly, spying the same thing the girl had. "But-there aren't any comets scheduled to appear in the night sky at this time." "Uh-oh. The Bat Sign's in the sky, Robin." Angela clucked. "To the bat mobile." Rachelle muttered. "What's that supposed to mean?" Diamond cautiously edged closer to the shadows. The blue eyes in there flashed. "You figure it out." Diamond looked up again. She bit her lip. "It's heading towards the Earth, and Moon." "You have twenty seconds on the clock to figure out the answer." Elisha whispered. The girls giggled nervously. Diamond went as straight and tense as a board. "The Moon! It's Beryl!" "Ding-ding-ding! That is correct! Johnny, tell our contestant what she's won!" Mary murmured. "Quiet." Angela ordered. "That attack you've been so worried about and been preparing for?" The shadows asked. Diamond nodded mutely. "It's happening now." Diamond stared into the shadows. "Who are you?" "A friend." Diamond was silent. Then, quickly, she bowed her head. "Arigatou. I thank you." Silence from the shadows. "I don't like this." Mary said, worriedly. "I mean, who the heck is he?" "Who knows." Elisha said with an impatient shrug. "He is evil." Angela thought to herself. "Very, very evil." Diamond hesitated, then raised a hand. A thin ray of moonlight twisted in the air and fell into her palm. She threw the light into the darkness. The shadows vanished. The man was gone. "Itai!" Angela shrieked. "Yikes! Disappearing man! Watch him vanish before your very eyes!!!" "Where'd he go? He couldn't go anywhere without heading out into the moonlight!" Lacie gasped. "Disapparation!!" Rachelle murmured. "Like in Harry Potter." Princess Diamond blinked. Then shook herself, and flew back into the ballroom, crying out, "Attack! Beryl's attacking! Come on, numbskulls, this is it!" "'Numbskulls'?" Angela said, starting to laugh. "That sounds like something I would have said. This Princess is cool!" Several ladies let out surprised screams before fainting into their debonair men's arms. Several men started to pace nervously. One man fainted (all the girls looked at him in disgust.) The Princesses didn't come close to fainting. Not by a long shot. Each of them immediately turned, kissed their dates, and walked straight to Diamond. "Look at that. Just abandon their guys when their friend's in trouble. You go, girls!" Rachelle cheered. "Garnet, Obsidian, alert all castles and individual tribes on the plains. Everyone must band together for this attack." Diamond ordered authoritatively. "Topaz, Emerald, round up our generals, I want to give them a bit of a pep talk. Amethyst, Sapphire, start warming up visual cameras and computers, I want people to be able to report in any time. Let's move!" "Whoa." Lacie said, stepping back slightly. "Girl knows how to give orders. Boss-y!" "Not really." Mary said, shaking her head. "She just knows what needs to be done and gets in charge. She knows what to do. I respect that." The Princesses all nodded, then were off like shots. Sapphire and Amethyst were the only ones who stayed in the room. They ran to one side of the room and began flipping switches so that large screens sprung up all over the ballroom. The tables had all been magically cleared away by a wave from Diamond. "Boy, I wish I could clean my room that easily!" Elisha sighed. Diamond typed on a keyboard, then grabbed a microphone and nearly wrenched it out of its hold. "Opal to Moon, Opal to Moon! Serenity, do you read me?" There was static a moment, and then a large screen popped up in the air above Diamond. Angela nearly fainted in delight. On the screen was the very person she wished she could be every day of her life, the butt-kicker of evil, the girl that managed to attract all the guys with her kind heart. From the silver hair and midnight eyes to the crescent moon on her forehead, Princess Serenity of the Moon was real. Diamond smiled, "Hey, Serenity." "Diamond!" Good to see you!! What's up? Meet someone at the party?" Serenity said, grinning back. Diamond's smile vanished. "No, unfortunately. Serenity, listen, I didn't call for chitchat. We've got a serious problem. Beryl's been spotted, she's heading towards your planet." Serenity's smiling face at once turned pale. "No." She whispered. "Then- Metallia-the prophecies are coming true?" Diamond nodded, then glanced at Serenity. "You're hiding something." Serenity turned red. "Endymion's there, isn't he?" Blushing, but with a hint of a smile, Serenity nodded. "Earth's corrupted now. The people are turned against us by Metallia. What choice did I have but to have him come here?" Diamond smiled. "Take care, Serenity. Prepare yourself." "You too, my friend." Serenity said, before the screen went blank. Diamond sighed and pushed her hair back. "Well, the Moon's warned at least. Better prepare troops to go help them-" "Princess Diamond!" A screech rang out through the room as a man with an uncomfortable blue uniform charged in, face white and almost in hysterics. Diamond stared at him. "Raoul? What is it?" The man gasped for air. "Beryl's not the only one, Highness! The other one-Rubian-she's coming into our system-" A black arrow flew out from a high window and lodged itself in the back of the man. He arched his back and then fell, blood streaming out of his mouth. All the girls instantly recoiled. "Ewww!!" Elisha screeched. Angela stared, wide-eyed, at the person on the floor. This insanity had just taken a turn for the worst. She hated seeing people on the news dying from starvation. Road kill made her wince. In movies, if a good guy died, she always looked away. Now someone, a real person, had been killed right in front of her. She felt sick. Rachelle had turned away, face pale. "I could have gone without seeing that." She murmured, voice high and squeaky. Diamond stared at the man on the floor. Then, almost imperceptibly, her eyes shot up and began scanning the rafters of the room. "There." Mary said, pointing to a high dark corner. A dark shadow crouched there. The girls could almost make out the bow in its hands. "Our friend from before?" Lacie muttered. Rachelle whimpered. The girls clustered together. "If an arrow hits us, do we get hurt?" Elisha wondered. "Oh, THANKS for making me feel a ton better, Elisha!" Mary muttered. Another dark shot flew down straight at Diamond's foot. At the last possible second, she moved her toe just enough so that it embedded in the floor. "That would have HURT." Malorie murmured. Another shot flew. This time, it was aimed towards Diamond's knee. She merely bent her leg. The arrow whistled past to hit the ground right in front of Angela. She immediately leapt back and knocked everyone else over. "Klutz." Mary complained, sounding muffled from Rachelle's leg in her face. "Oh, yeah, like YOU wouldn't have jumped back!" Angela retorted angrily. "Baka!" "Echei!" "Oh, shut up, the both of you." Lacie grumbled. Diamond slowly backed away from the dark corner, gently treading around the dead man's carcass. The only signs of life in him now was the blood still draining from his mouth. His eyes had rolled back into his head, and his hands and face were molded into grotesque expressions of pain. "I think I'm going to go somewhere and throw up." Rachelle whispered. "Yuck." Malorie agreed. Diamond edged backwards just as three more arrows flew down and stuck into the man's chest and stomach. "This guy's not the best shot." Malorie commented. Diamond suddenly grabbed at something on the inside of her neckline and leapt back as five more arrows flew to where she had been standing. "Diamond Star Power-MAKE UP!!!!" She cried. Something like an explosion of light erupted in the ballroom. Several screeches were heard, the loudest from Angela and Mary. "OWWWW!!!!!" Angela yelled. "MY EYES!!! I'M BLIND!!!!!" Mary screamed, clawing at her face. "No, you're not." Elisha said calmly. "See, the light's going away now." The two girls blinked sheepishly at Elisha. "Oh my-hey, you guys, look!" Malorie exclaimed, pointing at something in the center of the ballroom. The Princess Diamond was no longer there. Instead, a girl in an extremely short skirt was in a jaunty pose. Her blue eyes flashed angrily up at the archer. "YIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!" The girls screeched. "Sailor Diamond!!!" The Princess-turned-Senshi did not even bother to strike an odd pose. Hands on her hips, she sternly asked, "All right, come out. You want to fight, you've GOT your fight, buddy!" "Go girl!" Angela cheered. "I'm still a die-hard Moonie, but man! This girl doesn't bother with long stupid speeches, she just gets to it!" The shadows slowly slid down the wall, reminding the girls of jell-o gone wrong. The dark mass swirled upward into a human form, then the black disappeared to be replaced by colors and a face. All the girls gasped. "That's the brown-haired guy from before!" Rachelle hissed. "I REALLY do not like that guy." "Me either." Mary muttered. Sailor Diamond calmly took a fighter stance. Angela wondered if she saw a blue fire dancing in her eyes. The brown-haired man, what was his name- Uther, that was it-his eyes were as black as coal. "This is weird." Lacie muttered, snapping Angela out of her trance. I mean, if this was the guy we saw a few minutes ago, then he's got to be really, REALLY old!!" "Several centuries at least!" Elisha murmured. "That means..." Angela muttered, importantly. The girls all held their breath. "...he must be ancient!" she brightly finished. The girls all sighed. "You've got a definite ditz syndrome going for you there, girl." Mary groaned. "Wonder how he stayed in such good shape?" Malorie mused. "I mean, except for that evil-henchman thing going on, he's not too bad on the eyes." "You're hitting on a BAD GUY?!?!" Elisha and Rachelle screamed. "Yuck!" "I am NOT hitting on him!!" Malorie cried defensively. "I'm just making a casual remark!!" "Uh-uh! No hitting on, liking, or making casual remarks on any and all evil doers!!!" Mary yelled. "Um, while you guys were yelling, she just conked the bad guy on the head with a weird light disc and he took off." Lacie remarked. "WHAT?!" Angela shrieked. "Darn! I missed a fight!" "It really wasn't much." Lacie said with a shrug. "Easy for YOU to say." Angela muttered. Diamond stood alone now, breathing deeply. A troubled look was easily discernible on her face. As if making a decision, a keyboard popped up from a hole in the middle of the room. Sailor Diamond typed something on it-and immediately threw herself to one side as a fireball hit where she had been standing. The fire spread like liquid over the ground, and soon the room was ablaze. The girls all shrieked and ran in different directions. Too late, they realized the fire had enclosed them in circles-all separately. "HELP!!!!!!" Rachelle screeched from hers. "Calm down, Rachelle!" Angela called from hers, trying to fight panic. From somewhere, hidden to them by flame, Diamond roared. "Girls, I need back-up NOW!!!!!!!!!!" "Icy Glacier Freeze!" Someone yelled. Blue ice swarmed from a hallway and quickly surrounded and covered the flame. The flames seemed to try and leap higher, but the ice was everywhere, and the fire was smothered. Six other Sailor Senshi stood in the doorway. Each was easily recognized as a princess., and each had a uniform specially decorated with their colors. "Took you long enough." Diamond said calmly, stepping over a pile of melting ice. "Sorry." Sailor Topaz said, smiling slightly. "Heard your call, felt the evil presence, had to throw a few demons off my back." "So she's already sent out troops?" Diamond said, a frightened look on her face. Sapphire nodded, "And is getting more ready. We've got a full assault on our hands. The order to send troops to help the Moon was canceled halfway through." "Good." Diamond said. "We have to help our friends, but we're going to need all the help we can get over here ourselves." Garnet and Obsidian both had their eyes closed. "I've got a bad feeling about this war." Garnet remarked. "There's a lot of darkness in my view." Obsidian nodded. "I thought that's what I felt, but I wasn't sure." She looked at Diamond. "Now what?" Diamond bit her lip. "Better put up a magical defense, first of all. Order all people to try and get to a city as quickly as possible. Civilians who can fire weapons or call magic-get them out here fighting too. This is going to be a tough one." "Better do a Jewel Senshi Group Attack, D." Emerald said, smoothing her hair slightly. "We work better together." "Right." Diamond said holding her hands out to Topaz and Amethyst. "Better do this now, guys." All the Senshi held hands. The human girls were very still. In each of them, some strange sense was slowly starting to break loose. "Diamond Light Power!" "Topaz Beauty Power!" "Garnet Fire Power!" "Sapphire Water Power!" "Emerald Nature Power!" "Obsidian Fear Power!" "Amethyst Death Power!" "JEWEL SENSHI ATTACK!!" A blaze of lights blasted out of each of the girls and spiraled up through the ceiling. The human girls saw the lights arch across the sky. "Shield us!" Diamond cried. The lights stopped, swirled, and, like a cloak, settled in a dome over the planet. Almost immediately, crackles of lightning began to flash on it. "She's already trying to break through." Garnet murmured, knees bending slightly. "Stubborn idiot." "Everyone take a break." Diamond ordered. "Send messages to generals and troops with computers. Sapphire, I need you over here to fix the computer that sends interplanetary messages, I think the fires melted some of its wires." Sapphire nodded and trotted after her sister. "Oh, and you all might want to de-transform." Diamond called over her shoulder. "Save your energy." "Hey, you should too, fearless leader." Obsidian called, sailor outfit melting into a black dress. Diamond smiled, and her sailor fuku disappeared into the white dress. "Happy?" Obsidian nodded, and a computer popped up beside her. She began typing on it. Meanwhile, the human girls had all fallen to their knees. "What was THAT?!" Lacie shrieked. Mary knew she didn't just mean the light show. "That electric jolt that went through us when those Senshi called on their powers? Gee, I have no idea, I didn't feel it." "This is so weird." Rachelle murmured. "When Diamond yelled out her power, I didn't feel a thing, but with Garnet-ow! Felt like a mule kicked me in my ribs." "Same thing with me and Topaz." Malorie muttered. "And you're right, it hurt!" "Isn't it obvious?" Elisha said with a shrug. "Somehow, someway, we're connected with them. Heck, maybe they're like our past lives or something." "No, they're more than that." Angela said. "If they were just our past lives, we wouldn't have been painfully pulled out of our world and forced to see all these memories. They've got a link with those two guys in the park, and this stuff's all got something to do with our time." "You're probably right." Rachelle said with a sigh. "Great, Not only do I have school and homework, now I have to figure out an ancient riddle. Great." "Huh." Mary said, not totally convinced. "Next thing you'll be saying is that we can really transform into superheroes." There was complete and utter silence for a moment, and then everyone burst out laughing. "Yeah, right!" Lacie spluttered. "I'm not even close to being superhero- like." "You're strong." Malorie pointed out. She wasn't laughing as hard as the others. "So? I haven't got the skill for making battle plans or anything. The guys I fight mostly go down after one punch." "Even so, I mean, why would a bunch of teenagers be trusted with the fate of a world?" Elisha sensibly pointed out. "It'd be more reasonable if strong smart adults were, instead." "Unless our past lives were superheroes." Angela said, who was also not laughing as hard, though she was giggling. "That was speculation, nothing more." The laughter died away into a faintly uneasy silence. "SHOOT!" The loud yell broke through the silence. The girls, humans and princesses, all looked at Princess Emerald. "Rubian's stronger than we thought." Emerald said angrily, pointing something out to Diamond, who had come beside her. "Look! Here, and here, and here! The shield's almost broken in all those places! Worse, they're close to our palaces! If her lines break through, they'll hit our city first! Some shots are actually breaking through and hitting!" Diamond looked grim. "Better move a lot faster, then." The work sped up. A large circular marble table came up in the room, with seven large, puffy chairs. The princesses all sat in these, typing or staring at screens or just resting. Suddenly, the computer screens blipped, then went black. Garnet leapt up with a cry. "What happened?!" "The electricity center must have been destroyed." Diamond murmured. Then, very slowly, "Whose castle is that in?" There was a small squeak in the middle of silence. Sapphire's hand slowly raised into the air. "Oh, Sapphire!" Garnet said, eyes wide. Sapphire looked down, hands buried in the folds of her dress. "M-my guy- is there. In my part. I-I told him to go there, to wait for me." Her voice broke. Diamond went over and kneeled on the floor by her friend. "It's all right. You can't fall apart, none of us can. You don't know if he's been injured, and just because one part's been destroyed doesn't mean your castle's fallen yet." Sapphire nodded, but her head was still down. Diamond patted her sister's hand, and stood. "The mobile communicators may not have failed yet. Get the screens ready so we'll be able to quickly see messages. In the meantime-" She stopped, then went on. "Just pray, I guess." Each princess nodded before setting about to the task of setting a large, four-sided screen up above the table. Diamond stayed near Sapphire, whose head was up now. Her eyes were damp, but fierce. A huge boom of thunder and a flash of light made all girls glance at the outside. "The shield's breaking!" Emerald cried in horror. "Give it more power!!" Diamond ordered in a scream. More lights spread from the princesses out into the sky, but it was too late. The multicolored light shield had vanished. All the princesses stared as dark masses swarmed in from the plains. Rubian's armies, from what the human girls could see, were dark and blood red blobs shaped like human women with long sharp teeth and horrible black wings. They slithered towards the castles. A shout rose from the towers as soldiers of Opal rushed out and towards the oncoming hordes. Diamond had collapsed in a chair, face drained, white light still pouring from her hands and going towards the armies. "Why?" She whispered. "That shield should have held for hours. What happened?" "Diamond-stop it!" Topaz cried. The white light was still flowing from Diamond, and she had started to look sick. The light dimmed and the flow stopped. Amethyst and Topaz smoothed Diamond's hair and hands. "Don't ever do that again." Amethyst said, voice trembling. "Never let your raw power out like that, you know that. It'll kill you." "It would have killed them too." Diamond said ruefully, but the color was coming back in her cheeks. "So Rubian's really back after all these years." Obsidian muttered, watching the battle. "But who's she got with her? From what I hear, that shot we gave her as kids should have kept her traveling a long time." "She probably met up with some Dark Lord and he gave her power." Sapphire mused softly. Diamond sighed. "Does it matter? She's back, and we've got to do something!" She tried to stand up. Topaz forced her back. "Oh, no, you don't. You are going to stay seated. You need a bit of rest." Diamond didn't argue. She sighed again, then sat up straighter. "Try and contact our mobile field units. We need to see what they need." "Too late, looks like they've already contacted us!" Garnet said, pointing at the four-sided screen. Diamond wheeled her chair to face the screens. All the other princesses took their seats. The screen blipped a few different colors, then shone blue, and a man's face, tan, with mop of purple-black hair, flipped in and blue eyes. He seemed to smile reassuringly at Garnet, who had suddenly sat straight up. "Hello, General." Diamond said, smiling a little. The figure on the screen bobbed his head. Angela noticed his hair was matted with blood, and his face wasn't just tanned, but dirty with battle grime. "Majesties." He said, nodding at each princess. "Sapphire and Garnet Palaces are holding out for now, but we're weary. We need some relief soon, or else we're in trouble. The beasties aren't winning, but neither are we. Thank you." Diamond sighed. "Reinforcements will be there as soon as possible, general. Any word from the nomadic tribes?" The general swallowed hard. "Princess-the tribes were wiped out. The plains are close to being a desert. The demons destroyed all life." All the girls stood completely still. "All life outside the shield?" Diamond whispered. "All life." The General sighed. "I'm sorry, Majesty. A few members of tribes did manage to make it inside the shield while it was still up, but most are gone." Diamond didn't move for a second. Her eyes were brimming with tears. Then those eyes narrowed, and the tears evaporated. "They'll pay." She hissed. "I swear, Rubian will pay!" "She really loves her people." Mary remarked quietly. "I wonder how many people died." Lacie said softly. No one answered her. The screen flickered. "Kylian?" Garnet inquired nervously. The general smiled kindly at her as the screen flickered again. "I've got to go, the front line's back. Don't' worry, I'll see you again." He said, more to Garnet than anyone else. She smiled, biting her lip slightly. "Love you." Then the screen was blank. Garnet's lip trembled slightly. Diamond noticed, and smiled. "Don't worry. Your Kylian's a very capable fighter. He'll take care." Garnet nodded, and then briskly brushed her hands on her dress. "Back to waiting?" She asked, in fake cheerfulness. "Until further notice." Sapphire confirmed. "Meanwhile, I've almost got these darn interstellar cables hooked back up-" A huge explosion knocked all the girls off their feet-except for Diamond, who fell out of her chair. Angela shrieked as pieces of the marble ceiling shook slightly. Bits of gravel fell down on them. "Ow! It got in my eye!" Lacie complained. "Oh my GOD!!!!!" Mary screamed. "Don't have to be so sarcastic." Lacie muttered. "No-seriously-oh my GOD!" She cried again, pointing out of the windows. Angela and the other girls looked-and stared. There were two huge craters in the ground where the red and blue palaces had been. Red-black demons were everywhere in the holes. Garnet saw what had happened. Her eyes opened so wide you could see an inch of white all around. Then she wailed, "Oh my GOD!! KYLIAN!!!!!! KYLIAN!!!!!" She started running out of the room, but Amethyst and Obsidian managed to grab her and force her to the floor. She kicked at them, screaming, "Kylian! KYLE!!! Oh my God, I let him go! I let him go!!!!" Diamond quickly leapt out of her chair and grabbed a glass of water that appeared in the air with a "pop!". She ran over to Garnet and threw the water in her face. Garnet stopped wailing, spluttered, and just wept, tears mingling with the water on her face. "Sorry." Diamond said quietly. "But you can't get hysterical. We need to keep calm." "But he's DEAD!!" Garnet cried, burying her face in Amethyst's shoulder. "My love-my friend-oh, God!" "Garnet, please!" Diamond said, taking her sister by the shoulders and shaking her slightly before hugging her. "Don't fall apart! You must fight for him now!" Slowly, Garnet stopped sobbing, though tears still coursed steadily from her eyes. Sapphire had fallen back into her chair. She was very white. "Chasem." She murmured softly, hardly moving. "He-he's gone, too. I-I told him to go to the Sapphire Palace, told him he'd be safe-" Her hands were so tightly clenched that blood was starting to trickle from where her nails had pierced her skin. "Sapphire-stop it!" Emerald cried, shaking her sister's arm. But Sapphire didn't relax. She went on muttering to herself. "-told him to wait for me, I'd be along soon, told him to stay there till it was over-" Diamond went over and shook her sister slightly, but Sapphire's head just rolled on her shoulders. "She's in shock." Diamond told the others. "We can't just let her keep hurting herself like this!" Emerald said, angrily motioning at her bleeding hands. Diamond studied Sapphire for a long moment. Then she reached out and slapped her, hard, across the face. Emerald and Topaz gasped, but Sapphire blinked, looked at her sister, and then burst into uncontrollable sobs. Diamond held her sister and rocked her back and forth, crooning in her ear, until, after a few minutes, the sobs ended, and Sapphire pulled out of the embrace, eyes lighted with a blue flame. "They'll pay." She whispered, in a voice completely cold and very different from her normal voice. "I swear, for killing my Chasem, they'll pay." "And my Kylian." Garnet said, eyes red and still wet. "What on Opal was strong enough to do that much damage?" Obsidian murmured, looking out at the wreckage. "I don't know." Topaz said, looking out as well. She sharply caught her breath. "Uh-oh-Amethyst, they're headed towards your castle now." "And yours, too, Topaz." Obsidian said, looking sadly at her yellow-haired sister. "Well, I think Mattukin's still in our main castle here." Amethyst said, voice trembling for the first time. "But-my people, my friends-" "Charles' still here too." Topaz said bravely. "At least-I think he is. I mean, you know, he's a counselor and so he would naturally stay, right?" Diamond smiled at Topaz for her courage. "Let's hope so. Anyway-" "Diamond!" Sapphire called from her place behind a computer. "I've got the interstellar cables hooked back up, they should run okay now." "Let's try them out." Diamond said, pressing a few buttons. "I want to make sure Serenity's all right." A screen popped up. Instead of showing a face, there was only static. Diamond frowned and pressed a few buttons again. Static. A few sparks flew over Diamond hair as she typed more furiously. Nothing. "That can't be good." Elisha muttered. Furiously, Diamond pounded on the keypad. "It can't be." She muttered. "It's not possible-I mean, no-" There was static, and then- The screen went black. Angela had felt sorry for Sapphire and Garnet when their loved ones had died. She had felt nervous for Amethyst and Topaz when their palaces were going to be destroyed, but the sound that Diamond now made cut her straight to the heart. "NOOOOOOOO!!!!" A terrible scream ripped through the night. Diamond began typing more furiously than ever. "Serenity!! Serenity!! Answer if you can hear me!! Serenity?! ANSWER ME!!!" The screen remained blank. "No!" Diamond cried, pounding the screen. "No, no, no-" And then, as someone had flicked a switch, she stopped crying. Topaz put a hand on her shoulder, but Diamond shrugged it off. Topaz glanced at Amethyst, and a look of worry passed between them. "Diamond-" Obsidian began. "Don't talk to me right now, please." Diamond said, her face set in stone. Emerald started to speak. "Did you hear me?! I said, don't talk to me!!" Diamond yelled, voice as sharp as a knife. Emerald backed away. A loud crash and a boom like thunder signified the destruction of Topaz's and Amethyst's castles. Amethyst's face crumpled, and she hid her face in her hands, shoulders jerking up and down. Topaz bravely tried to stand straighter, but the quivering in her lip and the paleness of her face was evident. Obsidian one-armed hugged her sister, black hairs mingling with blond. She whispered something into Topaz's ear, and slowly Topaz relaxed, face still white. "This is-awful." Malorie said, staring at Topaz. "And she's so brave." "Diamond's castle is next in line." Mary said quietly. No one answered her. Diamond rose unsteadily, face grim. "It's time." She stated. "For what?" Emerald asked. "For us to go to the Moon." Diamond said, face pale but calm. "Diamond-" Topaz said, trying to cover her sadness. "If the signals are knocked out on the Moon, but not here, you know that can only mean-" "Yes, I know." Diamond said. "The Moon's probably in chaos. If anyone there's-" She stopped. "The people that survived need our help. The atmosphere is probably going. We have to save some." "What about Opal?!" Obsidian said angrily. "Our people are still here! They need us! We're their link!" "Rubian broke through our shield." Diamond said. "She's much too powerful for us to fight. Besides, look at this." She gestured at the fighting going on outside. "The plains tribes are dead. Four of our cities have fallen. We can't stop the others from either, probably not even our main one." "That's still no excuse not to stay here and fight for what's left!!" Sapphire argued. "Perhaps." Diamond said evenly. "What you want to do is no matter to me. I'm going." She grasped her transformer in one hand and stood up. "But-Diamond-our people!" Topaz protested. "Our home!! Doesn't that mean something to you?" "Our people are dying, and I can do nothing." Diamond said quietly. "You will not let me use my full power, but you will not let me help where I am needed." "We won't let you use your full power because it'll kill you!" Sapphire said angrily. "And we won't let you go to the Moon because-because you should stay with us, and-" "And what? Die with you? It's the only thing that can happen if we stay!" Diamond said, quiet fury visible. "But we'll at least be with each other and our people." Garnet said quietly. "Look, I have to find out what happened to the Moon!" Diamond said, anger in her voice but not on her face. "The connections there are out, and I want to know why. And if there are survivors-the survivors need help. And I'm going to give it to them." There was a long pause. Finally, Topaz stood. Without a word, she walked over to Diamond and held her hand. "Diamond's right. We can't do anything here. Besides-in my heart-I know that Charlie's gone. I don't have much left to live for now." Diamond squeezed her sister's hand gently. "I'll go too." Garnet said next, walking next to Topaz. "Mars is my friend. So is Serenity. If I can help them, I will." Emerald stood irresolute for a second, then sighed. "What the heck? I might as well. Jupiter can help me kick Rubian's butt." She stood next to Garnet as a crash sounded the end of her castle. Obsidian and Sapphire were set stubbornly. Amethyst hesitated, uncertainly. "Amethyst!" Sapphire hissed. "Don't go along with this foolishness!" Obsidian pleaded. Amethyst hung her head. "I-I'm too worried about Saturn to not go. I mean, I love our people, but we can't really help them. Maybe we can help the Moon." She stood next to Diamond's other side and took her right hand. Diamond gave her sister a grateful look. Sapphire and Obsidian stood stubbornly side by side. Diamond and the others calmly looked at them. A wavering look quickly passed over Obsidian's face. Sapphire noticed, and roughly poked her sister with her elbow. "What good can you do here, Obsidian-chan?" Topaz asked gently. "You can't save our people, nor can you save our planet from dying." Obsidian wavered again, then looked away. "What if Pluto's lying hurt somewhere?" Garnet asked. Obsidian bit her lip. Sapphire jostled her again. "Please, Obsidian-chan." Diamond said. "Come with us." Obsidian gave Sapphire one last glance. Then, slowly but firmly, she crossed to the other side and stood by Amethyst. "Traitor." Sapphire muttered. "I'm sorry, Sapphire." Obsidian said, looking down. "But-you know I am feel about Pluto-she's my best friend aside from you guys, and she's always been so mysterious and alone." Her voice faded away as she shrugged. Sapphire stood defiantly alone. "I won't go." She said firmly. "And I won't let YOU guys go. You should stay here! We can at least try again! Put up a shield around our remaining cities or something!" "Sapphire," Garnet said. "Think of Mercury! She might need your help now!" "Not going to work with me, Garnet." Sapphire said stubbornly. "I care too much about my friends." "What friends?" Diamond said harshly. "Sapphire, your city is destroyed and everyone who was in it is dead, including your Chasem! You can't do anything for them now!" "I have friends in the other cities too!" Sapphire said challengingly. "Sapphire." Diamond said, some of her power creeping into her voice. "Please. I am asking you as a friend." Sapphire folded her arms. "So be it." Diamond said, taking out her transformer. "Diamond Star Power-MAKE UP!!" "Blinding light alert!" Mary cried as a wave of light swept over them. "Ow." Elisha complained. Sapphire looked somewhat shocked. "Diamond," she said, "Diamond you're- you're not seriously thinking-" "Amethyst Star Power-MAKE UP!!" "Topaz Star Power-MAKE UP!!" "Garnet Star Power-MAKE-UP!!" "Emerald Star Power-MAKE UP!!" "Obsidian Star Power-MAKE UP!!" Six Jewel Senshi stood in different positions, the same determined expression on each of their faces. "Last chase, Sapphire." Sailor Diamond said. "Come with us." Sapphire sighed in defeat. "I can NOT believe I'm dragged into your lunacy." Sailor Diamond smiled. "Come on, Saph." "You owe me BIG for this." Sapphire muttered. "Sapphire Star Power-MAKE UP!!" There was a flash of blue. Sailor Sapphire had her arms crossed and a sour look on her face. "Shall we?" Diamond asked, holding out her hands. "Ladies!" A voice cried. Diamond sighed as she turned to face the tall dark man and golden haired woman that had charged into the room. "Hello, Advisor Lune, Advisor Demetri." "Advisor LUNE!?!?!" Angela shrieked. "Lune?! You were a human?!?! Oh my God!!" "It might be a different Lune." Rachelle suggested. "Yeah, right, what are the chances of THAT?" Elisha said snobbily. "Princess Diamond." The golden haired woman said angrily. "What on Opal are you doing?" "We're leaving. The other planets-I think they're in trouble, they need us there." "Impossible." The woman said flatly. "How would you get past Rubian's outer defenses? She's circled our planet, you can't leave." "Now, Lune," the dark man said, "we can't stop them from going. They have a right to their actions." Lune snorted. "I'm not letting you go into God-knows-what peril. Pure stupidity on your account, ladies." Before Diamond could reply, Topaz stepped forward. "Where are our parents?" She meekly asked. Lune's face froze, then went completely blank. "I am sure they are fine, Topaz." "You lie." Topaz said, a note of panic rising in her voice. "I'll ask again: where are our parents?!" "Topaz." Lune looked at the dark man for help. Demetri sighed. "They went on an expedition to the plains tribes today, ladies." Topaz turned gray. "So our parents-are dead?" She asked in a very small voice. Demetri nodded. "I'm sorry, lady. I loved Jemma and Titan as well." "Well, that settles it, doesn't it?" Diamond said in a clear, distant voice. Topaz and the others turned to stare at her. "There's nothing left for us here now." Diamond said reasonably, though her face was pale. "Perhaps there's something worth living for out on the Moon." "You're-you are going to the Moon?" Lune asked sharply. "Why? Has something happened there? Is my sister all right?" "Their communication systems are out, Lune." Sailor Garnet said sadly. "We don't know what that means." For a moment Lune's lower lip quavered, then she stubbornly pursed it. "Well, then I suppose you should go check on Selenity and the others princesses." "We'll check for Luna as well." Diamond said, giving Lune an affectionate look. "Do come back, won't you, your Majesties?" Demetri said. "I would not like you to vanish. This day has already seen far too many losses." Obsidian smiled gently at Demetri. "Of course we will. Don't worry." "We're all going to die." Sapphire said pessimistically. "Don't jinx us!" Emerald ordered. "Too late." Diamond stepped back in finality. "Tale care of yourself, Lune, Demetri. We want to come home to a planet with some life still on it." "The survivors have all clustered into our halls." Demetri said. "There's not as many gone as you would think." Emerald and Amethyst brightened a little, but Garnet shook her head. "I know Kylian's gone. I can feel it." Demetri opened his mouth, then shook his head and stepped back. "When you come back we'll begin the reconstruction." Lune said briskly. "I'll try and start now. I believe Rubian's backing off a bit, I might go search through the debris for survivors." "Be very careful." Emerald said to Lune. "Rubian might have backed off, and she might not have. Take good care of yourself." "You too, ladies." Lune's mouth trembled again. The girls turned away from her and held hands. "Let's do this." Diamond ordered. "Diamond Light Power!" "Topaz Beauty Power!" "Garnet Fire Power!" "Sapphire Water Power!" "Amethyst Death Power!" "Obsidian Fear Power!" "Emerald Nature Power!" "JEWEL SENSHI POWER!!!" A white ball of power formed around the seven Sailor Senshi. Slowly it rose into the air. Diamond looked down. "We'll be back!!" She called. "And we'll be waiting!" Lune cried back. Diamond smiled, and then the ball of power flew out of a window and into the sky. "Darn!" Elisha said, trying not to smile. "Oh, well, they vanished. Oh no. Well, I guess we can't follow-" Each of the Earthling girls rose into the air. "YIPE!" Rachelle screamed. "HELP!! I'M LEVITATING!" Angela yelled. "GET ME DOWN!!" "HELP!!" "YIKES!!" "I WANNA GET DOWN NOW!!!" But they didn't float back down. The girls flew out of the window in the same direction the Senshi had gone. "This goes beyond odd." Elisha muttered blackly. "Here we are, flying through space. Soon we'll run out of oxygen or something and die. This is awful. This is terrible. We're all gonna-" "Wow!!" Angela cried. "Look at all the stars!! And the planets! It's beautiful!!" "She's right!" Malorie said. "Man, and I only thought I'd see this if I became an astronaut!!" "Yeah!" Rachelle said. "It's gorgeous!" "You are far too happy." Elisha muttered. "We're all going to die." "Well, you're right." Mary told her. "As in the fact that none of us are getting any younger. But I suggest you relax in the meanwhile and enjoy this spectacular view!!" Elisha sighed, but couldn't help admiring a nebula as they passed. The Sailor Senshi flew on ahead, not talking, not looking at stars. Just flying, all eyes concentrated forward to their destination. Too soon for the girls, the familiar sight of Earth came into view. And- "Oh, my God." 


	5. The Moon's Sad Story! Another comrade! ...

The Moon was nothing more than a cratered dead surface. Huge holes were everywhere in a once-smooth ground. Diamond's face was stone as she landed near a broken down marble sculpture of a young girl. "I think I know why the transmission cables are out." She said quietly. "They got hit hard." Angela said, peering around sadly. There was a low gasp from someplace close by. "Quickly!" Emerald called from behind a pile of rock. "Diamond, come quick!" Diamond practically flew over the rocks . The other Senshi and girls followed closely. Emerald was kneeling and holding a beautiful woman with lavender hair done up in the odango style. She wore a gold crown on her head, and was very pale. "It's the Queen." Amethyst murmured. "Queen Serenity!" Diamond cried, falling to her knees beside the woman. She took one hand in both of hers. "What's happened? What's going on?" Queen Serenity smiled slightly at Diamond. "Princess Diamond of Opal. I am so sorry to see you here and now like this. I'm sorry you had to see our planet." "What's happened?" Sailor Diamond asked fiercely. "Where's Serenity?! And Princess Mars! And Jupiter! And Pluto and Venus and-everyone!" "They are dead." Sailor Diamond said nothing. Queen Serenity winced slightly. "Believe me, I tried everything to save our planet. Nothing worked. Beryl was too powerful. And our atmosphere is now vanishing." "How did Serenity die?" Sailor Diamond asked, voice hoarse. "Prince Endymion was killed by Beryl when she was aiming for Serenity." The Queen's voice was sad. "In grief, Serenity killed herself." Sailor Diamond smiled thinly. "At least Metallia didn't get her in the end." "No," Queen Serenity said. "But she decimated our troops. And all of our Senshi were killed in the battle." "Oh, God, Queen Serenity, I'm so sorry we couldn't-" "Diamond, my dear, " the Moon Queen said, smiling. "You and all your sisters are like daughters to me. I'm sorry we couldn't help you in your struggle with Rubian." Tears were coursing down Diamond's face. "What happened to Beryl?" "I banished her, using the Silver Crystal. But-" Serenity sighed. "It took a bit out of me. And-for my Serenity-I-" She was interrupted by a bout of coughing. "What?" Diamond asked, patting her gently on the back. "I sent her soul to the future. I sent all of the Senshi's souls, and Endymion's. So that they may be happy together once again." "That effort is killing you." Sapphire said quietly, coming up behind Diamond. "I know." Again, Queen Serenity coughed. "Please-Diamond, do me a favor. All of you, please." "Anything." "Bury me next to where I always used to pray, all right? I believe I'd like to rest there." Diamond smiled through her tears. "Of course, your Majesty. Of course." The Queen smiled one last time, then her eyes clouded over and she went limp. The girls from Earth had not moved all this time. They stood, staring, at the dead body of the great Moon Queen. They did not move until the seven Senshi fashioned a coffin of leftover marble for the Queen and buried as she'd asked, near a small place where the remains of a cross and a fountain still stood. "I HATE Beryl and Rubian!" Angela finally burst out. "So do I!" came a quick chorus. "They're both evil bitches." Lacie said, scowling. "Terribly evil." Malorie growled. "I wish I could chop them up into tiny little pieces and feed them to squirrels!" Mary yelled. Obviously this was a terrible punishment for her, for she morosely licked her lips and frowned. The Seven Senshi joined hands again, not saying anything. "Our universe is dying." Garnet said, her eyes closing slightly. "And we're going to go with it." Sapphire said firmly. "We have to go back to Opal now-" "What's the point?" Topaz asked. "It's going to be destroyed, and even if it's not, we can't do anything. Like Garnet said: our universe is dying." "Melting into chaos." Obsidian said sadly. A single spark awoke and gleamed in Diamond eyes. "We can't survive but-" a smile started to form on her lips, "-maybe we can change things." Topaz's eyes caught Diamond's, and she gasped. "Oh, no, Diamond-not the power to separate the dimensions-" "It's strictly taboo!" Emerald said in shock. "If we use that, we pay with our lives!!" "SO WHAT?!?!" Diamond screamed unexpectedly. "Everyone I love is dead! Our universe is dying! This is our only choice! We separate the dimension, then the evil can't take over all the planets, like it just did!! Different parts will be trapped in different dimensions! We can set the universe to rights again!" "But-Diamond, we-" Sapphire began. "We're going to die anyway." Obsidian said with a shaky laugh. "Might as well break a sacred rule and waste all our power while we're at it." Sapphire sighed, then smiled. "What the heck! Let's go out with a bang!" "But-I'm kinda scared." Topaz admitted, looking down. "At least we had a good life." Garnet said reassuringly. "If not a long one." This comment was met with silence for a moment. "Well, then, let's do this!" Amethyst said toughly, grabbing Obsidian's and Garnet's hands. All seven Jewel Senshi linked hands. "We call upon the Ancient Power." Diamond started, voice strange and low. "The power granted only to the rulers of Opal." Topaz said. "The power that was granted to us by the Power Above." Obsidian said. "As heirs of this power, we call it now!" Sapphire said. "O powers of light," Amethyst said, "vanquish the darkness." "Let the light shine forth, and separate our world." Garnet said, voice very quiet. "Seven dimensions for seven planets, let reality be cut!" Emerald finished. "SO.MOTE.IT.BE!!" There was a splintering, and then to the six Earthling girls, the world seemed to come opens at the seams. The Moon and Earth, with a crash, rent apart a large part of space. Between Opal and the Moon, there was a patch of dark nothingness. More great rents pulled open the sky. Voices wailed and shrieked in tones that were pure darkness. A small asteroid exploded when a rent passed through it, and then the bits were sucked into the nothingness. And then, it was over. The rents vanished back into pure starry calm. But now Opal floated alone in space, save several other dead planets, none of which had been the ones Lune had pointed out before. "Dear God," Diamond whispered, "what have we done?" Then, with a sigh, her body faded into the blackness of the stars. One by one, the other Senshi did the same, until the six girls were alone in the universe. Chapter Three "They died?!" Lacie said angrily. "Now that just sucks!" "I can't believe it." Angela murmured. "They were so brave. They sacrificed everything just so everyone else can be safe." "That was the most sad, beautiful thing I've ever heard of." Malorie said with a sniff. "Okay, that was really sad, but I've got a more important question." Elisha said, a little too sweetly. "WHY THE HELL WERE WE SHOWN THAT?!?! WHO CARES?!?! IT HAPPENED A LONG TIME AGO!!!! I'M MORE INTERESTED IN OUR WOULD-BE MOLESTERS!!!" There was a pop, and the planets vanished to be replaced by pure space-and an angry looking Lune. All girls immediately stopped flying and fell. "Ow!" Mary muttered. "That was painful. And I don't just mean the drop." "It sort of felt like something was tearing in my chest." Rachelle said, trying to brush away a tear without the others noticing. "You don't UNDERSTAND!!!!!!" Lune shrieked, puffing up to twice her size. "I understand you are one pissed off kitty." Lacie said, backing away. "Were you really that pretty girl once??" Malorie asked interestedly. "What happened to Demetri??" "I only wish I knew!" Lune said angrily. "And stop changing the subject!! Don't you realize how serious this is, how much peril your planet is in?? Your destiny is calling!" "Destiny?" Rachelle asked blankly. "I don't have a destiny, believe me. I am destiny-free." "I agree." Mary said. "I am a normal, happy, non-destined person." "No, you're not!!" Lune snapped. "The Jewel Senshi gave their lives for the rest of the universe and in return their souls were flung many years in the future to start over, with no recollection of their terrible past! And since then, I have been watching and waiting for EONS for you to appear!! Good Lord!" "Wait-for US to appear?" Angela asked, somewhat shocked. "Oh, wake up." Lune snapped. "Think! How similar did those girls look to you?" "Not very much." Angela said. "Purple and blue and white hair? Kinda weird. I don't know anyone who." Her voice trailed away as she stared at Elisha and Lacie. "My God," She whispered. "You guys' hair! It's exactly like Amethyst and Sapphire!" "Nuh-uh!" Lacie objected. "My hair's not THAT purple!" "And I don't look anything like Sapphire!" Elisha said stubbornly, fingering her hair absently. "They're in denial." Lune said to Angela in a loud whisper. "Many Senshi go through this." "I CANNOT be a Sailor Scout!" Rachelle objected. "I really don't have time!! I've got stories to write, people to meet, tests to pass.my schedule's full." "Tough." Lune snapped. "The Sailor Senshi got through it, you will also." "But we can't be-" Mary began, then stopped. "If-if that were true," she asked in a small voice, "if we really were the Jewel Senshi, then-we would get to go fight evil and save the world?" Lune nodded. There was a long pause. "SWEET!" Mary yelled. "I'm in!" Angela agreed. "I always wanted to be a superhero!" "Hello?" Elisha said, staring at them. "People? Not possible?? Not ethical?? We can't be superheroes?? Remember? It's impossible." "So is this whole thing!" Malorie said, smiling a little. "This whole crazy thing is impossible, so why can't we be superheroes?" Elisha opened her mouth, then shut it in a tight smile. "Point taken." "So you accept your fate?" Lune asked. "Sure!" Angela and Mary said eagerly. "I guess." Rachelle muttered. "But-the Sailor Senshi DIED a few times, didn't they?" "Whoa! Heads up!" Elisha yelled in alarm. "They DIED?!?!?! Okay, no way, bye-bye, nice meeting you Lune!!" She started to walk quickly away. For a moment the whole world seemed to shift and flow together like watercolors running down glass. Angela's head swam and her vision seemed to be blurred by oil. Then the world righted itself, stars in the night sky reappearing, and Elisha back with the group, looking puzzled. But-not quite the same. Lune had vanished to be replaced by a tall, thin woman. Long yellow hair was swept back into a long ponytail tied with a gold clamp. Almond skin showed under a silky red tunic and gold leggings. Tawny eyes peered at the girls from under luxurious eyelashes. "Lune?" Malorie asked, voice strangled in amazement. "Is that you??" "Yes," said the woman in Lune's voice. "Of course it is, and stop gawping. You make me feel like I'm on display." Elisha's mouth abruptly closed. "You expect us NOT to gawp?? Hello?? You just turned into a human!" "So what?" Angela came forward and gingerly touched Lune's arm. "So you are real. And if what just happened is real-all this must be real also." Lune smiled in satisfaction, and then the curious oil effect took over again. When it was clear, Lune was her familiar furry self. "Why are you coming back to cat form?" Mary asked curiously. "I find it is easier to communicate and live as a cat." Lune said loftily. "No foolish human notions or stupidity like yours." All six girls glared at Lune angrily, before realizing there was a curious hum in the air. A buzzing thrum coming from deep in their bones, not unpleasant, but alien and strange. The hum seemed to envelop each of them and indeed the whole world before turning, for the briefest moment, into a beautiful chord of music. And, quicker than it had come, the hum was gone. "Well, it's about time you showed up!" A voice said from behind the girls. "I was beginning to think you would never come!" Angela turned, and stared. A girl about their age was standing a few feet away, one hand placed jauntily on her hip. Curly auburn hair was massed down just below her thin shoulders. She was slender, but not weak-looking, and carried herself with a great assurance. Her skin was pale, and if you looked carefully, you could see a blue filigree of veins just under the surface. Sea green eyes completed this ensemble, placed far apart on a pretty face. "Who the heck are you, and where did you come from?!" Angela demanded bluntly. The girl glowered at her slightly. "I am Marisa, and I come from the U.S.A. Who're you? Are you going to be my fellow warriors?" "I guess so." Angela said, stiffness melting into an inexplicable friendliness. "I'm Angie." "I'm Mary," Mary said, "And this is Malorie, Rachelle, Lacie, and El-" "I can talk for myself, thank you!" Elisha snorted. "I'm Elisha." Marisa covered her mouth with one hand before turning to the gold cat. "Have they chosen, Lune?" Lune sized the six other girls up. "Well?" Angela sighed impatiently. "Would you listen already?! I'm in!" "Ditto!" Malorie said cheerfully. "Yup." "Sure." "What the heck." Elisha said. "Always wanted something exciting in my life." Rachelle hesitated, and bit her lip. "You with us, Shellie?" Angela asked, gently giving her a nudge. Rachelle gave her a small smile. "You guys might think I'm a coward, but I'm really not, I'm just-I'm not a fighter. I don't like violence, and I'm not strong or anything. I'm smart, yes, but otherwise pretty weak." "We'll protect you!" Lacie said eagerly, and there was a murmur of assent. Rachelle took a deep breath, then sighed grimly. "All right." Lune face brightened visibly; it seemed a great weight of responsibility had been taken off her shoulders. "Good! Excellent! You have taken the first step in becoming true Jewel Senshi." "And the other steps are.?" Malorie asked, raising an eyebrow. "Your transformations, attacks, and lockets, of course." Lune said with a small contented feline smile. "ALL RIGHT!!!" Angela shouted, blasting everyone's ear drums. "Let's do it!! Give 'em now!! I want to be Sailor-Sailor-" Her voice trailed away in puzzlement. "Which one AM I?" She asked, confused. This simple sentence caused a mass confusion. "Well, your hair is blond like Topaz's." Mary said thoughtfully. "But so is mine!" Malorie put it. "None of them have auburn hair!" Marisa wailed in fear. "Does that mean I can't be one of you?!" "Both Garnet and Obsidian had black hair," Rachelle muttered to herself. "I could be Sapphire or Amethyst, you know?" Elisha said to Lacie, who nodded in agreement. "But my eyes aren't that color.!" "Whose are-?" "No one has green hair." "Or white!" "Maybe we all change." "SILENCE!!!!" Lune screamed. Everyone froze. It was as silent as a tomb. "Now," Lune said calmly, but still puffed up. "I will give each of you a pendant and let you figure it out from there. BUT if I hear that HORRIBLE noise again, I will take them away and find new Senshi!" Moans immediately escalated. "But you can't.!" "We'll be good!" "Give us another change, Lune!" "Try a little patience!" "No, you can't." A quiet hush fell again as everyone turned to stare at Lacie. She colored, but remained firm. "We're the chosen ones! You can't just drop out of the sky and pick new ones every time you want! We're special, we're linked to the past, to those brave girls-to ourselves, I guess. You can't replace us, just like you can't replace a person's soul or heart." "Ding-ding-ding-the national award for complete coolness goes to Lacie!" Angie cheered. "Go, girl!" Lacie bowed modestly. "Humph." Lune said, obviously displeased the threat hadn't worked. "Enough chitchat!" Elisha said impatiently. "We've made our choice, now give us the freaking charms or whatever." "Don't be so upset." Lune sniffed. There was another brilliant flash of white light, and Angela found herself floating alone in a bright, beautiful place full of light. Golden butterflies and birds danced everywhere and soared high to the sun. But, there, not too far away, the light disappeared into darkness and night, with the stars twinkling brightly. "Hello?" She called out. Her voice seemed to echo among the stars, "Hello, hello, hello." "Where is everyone?!" She called again. "Everyone, everyone, everyone." "I'm all alone." She whispered. "Lune? Mary? Lacie? Anybody?" Another brilliant flash came from behind her. She cried out, and covered her eyes. In a moment, the light had passed, leaving her with an overwhelming feeling of peace, of joy. "What did you see?" "I saw beauty." Angie murmured, vaguely realizing Lune was back. "And peace, and joy. Light and darkness, both at the same time, two sides of the coin, two parts of life. No part stronger or greater than the next." "It is part of what you could have, should you choose this life." "I saw," Marisa said, in awe, "a forest, a green glade, with a stream bubbling through it, and two deer, a fawn and its mother. It was beautiful, the very symbol of life, of beginning." "A great ocean." Elisha said, in wonder. "It went on forever, and on it was fog, and rain, and storms and rainbows. It was beautiful. That's what eternity is, really. The sea. It's depths are unimaginable, but yet you know they're there." "A meadow." Malorie murmured. "Filled with light and butterflies, and a breeze was blowing. It seemed to speak to me. It was peaceful, and warm, but there was a constant war. A hawk killing a mouse. Wolves hunting a deer. The deer eating plants. All of nature is constantly in a fight for survival." "Fire," Rachelle said, sounding both frightened and joyful. "It destroyed, and yet created. I was in the heart of a volcano, and when the lava bubbled up and took over the land I cried, but then in its wake, tiny trees and plants began to grow again. It's a cycle. Fire is both good and evil." "A graveyard." Lacie whispered. "It was sad and depressing, but at the same time peaceful, like death." "The stars." Mary completed. "The blackness of space. It was incredible. Awe-inspiring. And I knew to a star, I was nothing more than the tiniest of specks, and yet I got the feeling all the stars could feel me and love me as at the same time they danced for me." "These are the lives you must protect." Lune said solemnly. "You must understand your choice will either save or kill all things. All depend on you, from the mightiest of stars to the smallest of plants. All life, everywhere." "Hard deal." Elisha muttered. "We still agree." Angela said firmly. "Fine." A warm light started to glow behind the girls. All turned, and shrieked as a blinding flare shot out. As the light faded (and the spots stopped dancing in front of Angela's eyes) she looked around-and gasped in wonder. Seven glittering objects were floating in the air in front of them. As she peered closer she could make them out to be bracelets, shining bracelets, luminescent, and all silver. In each one a jewel sparkled like a star. Each one was a different color-white, blue, red, yellow, green, purple, and one as black as night-but each had the same intense glow. "Beautiful." Angela said, reaching out to touch the one in front of her, with the white jewel. "Don't touch it!!" Surprised, she turned back to look at Lune. "Why not?" The cat's eyes were taking on a mirror-like quality, reflecting the light back from the bracelets back at them. None of the girls could read her expression. "I must warn you now," she went on, quietly, "that you are making a choice here. If you grab those transformer charms, you cannot go back. Your lives will be changed forever, partially for better, partially for worse. You'll have pain, and joy; sorrows and peace and love. You take on an enormous responsibility. The position as a Jewel Senshi is laden with troubles." "So I ask you yet again, and please forgive me my doubt: are you strong of heart and firm in your choice?" All girls paused, and glanced at each other uncertainly. Responsibility. The weight of the world on them. "What the heck?" Marisa said with a shrug. She turned and grabbed the bracelet in front of her. There was a flash of green light. Marisa, with a surprised look on her face, began to gracefully dance. Her clothes melted away into a silvery white leotard. She twirled around, arms and hands being covered by light that evaporated into white gloves with green lining. High heeled turquoise shoes formed on her feet, a green skirt whirled on her hips, and a tiara with a glittering green gem shimmered on her forehead. The remaining green light swirled down to Marisa's right hand. There, a large emerald formed on her glove, cast in silver. She let her hands fly up close to her face so the jewel was visible, and the dance stopped. "YOW!" Marisa shrieked, pulling at the sailor fuku. "What on earth just happened to me?!" "You just completed your first transformation to Sailor Emerald." Lune said calmly. "I'm Sailor Emerald?!" Marisa-who-was-really-Sailor-Emerald said, staring at Lune in astonishment. Then, "Neat! She was one of my favorites!" "As Sailor Emerald, you are the Senshi of Nature and the Seasons." Lune announced dramatically. "Your power links you naturally to plants, and if you're not careful, the weather too." "This is SO cool," Emerald said, turning around in an attempt to see the back of the fuku. Without watching where she was going, she tripped and stumbled into Lacie, who fell forward. The only thing to grab was the charm with the purple stone in front of her. There was a flash of purple light. Emerald and the others gaped in astonishment as Lacie's eyes closed and a veil of purple mists surrounded her. Through the mists, the outline of the girl could be seen dancing. As if a sudden wind had blown, the mists cleared, and a girl in a bright purple sailor fuku with a lighter purple jewel on her hand stood with one hand behind her head and the other on her hip. ""Oh.my.GOD!!!" Lacie shrieked, fingering the jewel embedded into her glove. "Oh, my God!" "Behold!" Lune proclaimed, sounding more pleased than ever. "Sailor Amethyst! Senshi of Death and Destruction!" Amethyst blinked at Lune. "Death and Destruction?! Well, THAT stinks. Might as well just call me the Depressing Senshi." "Now, hold on!" Lune began in alarm, but Angie quickly cut her off. "Don't be silly, Lacie! Death and destruction are natural parts of life! There's a great circle, no life without death, no death without life." "I guess that makes some sense." Amethyst grumbled, but the relief was evident on her face. "Two up, five left!" Lune chirped, turning to the group of girls who looked scrawny and scraggly compared to the pretty young warriors the other two had become. "Me next! Me next!" Elisha practically screamed, falling all over herself trying to grab one to the side of her. There was a flash of yellow light, then Elisha was flung backwards. "Hey!" She yelped, skidding a few feet away. "Wh-what happened?" "That's not your charm." Lune said, matter-of-factly. "You have to choose the right charm to transform. Other charms will just reject you-sometimes rather violently." "Thanks for the warning," Elisha muttered, glaring at the yellow-jeweled transformer. "Well?" Lune sniffed impatiently. "Choose another!" "And go through that again? No way!" Elisha said indignantly, turning away and walking back to the group. The charm with the blue jewel in it twitched a little, suddenly. Then it started to float after her. Mary gave a shout of laughter. Elisha glared at her. "You think that was funny? That hurt!" "No-no, not that!" Mary chortled, wiping her eyes. "Look behind you!" Elisha turned to find the blue transformer right at her eye level. "Yipe!" She screeched, falling backwards. "I guess your charm's chosen you!" Malorie said with a grin. Elisha scuttled away from the charm on the floor, bumping into people's feet. The charm kept up its persistent chase. "Oh, for crying out loud, just grab it already!" Angie said with a laugh. "Do it, Elisha." Emerald urged, (the two Senshi had been watching this performance with some amusement.) "It doesn't hurt or anything, it's actually kinda-pleasant." Elisha cringed, and kept edging away, "Uh-uh. This one's freaking me out! Make it stop following me!" "Oh for-" Lune said angrily. She leapt suddenly behind Elisha and then jumped forward onto her back, gave it one strong shove, and pushed off again. Elisha shot forward, straight into the transformer. Blue light swirled like a river. A large wave of light formed behind Elisha as her clothes began to melt away, and as it swept down, covering her, the first step of the dance could be seen. The water-light rolled away, and Elisha stood in a fuku with many colors of blue spread over it. "LUNE!" She immediately screeched. "YOU EVIL LITTLE CAT!!!" "You were being too slow!" Lune said, a quirky smile on her lips. "God!" Elisha took a deep breath, and ran a hand through her hair. Then she looked down and seemed to notice the change for the first time. "I-I changed?!" She asked in a shocked whisper. "I'm a Sailor Scout?" "You are." Lune said proudly. "To be precise, you are Sailor Sapphire, Senshi of Water and also of the Storms." "Majorly cool." Sapphire whispered, gingerly touching her blue boots. "I mean, MAJORLY cool." She stopped, and looked up at the others for a moment. "I didn't think I could do it, you know? I mean, I'm so normal. I thought all the charms would reject me or something." "The blood of the old ones flows in your veins." Lune said, gently. "You are not normal, not by any means." "Old ones." Angie muttered, the phrase reminding her of something, of some call. "Now," Lune said, business-like again. "Hurry, please! I can't keep you here forever!" "Well." Malorie said, glancing uneasily at the yellow-jeweled one. "I guess we should try." Her hand came up as she stepped forward and then carefully grasped the transformer. For a long moment, nothing happened. Then, across the dimension of stars, a wind blew. A gentle, warm wind, with golden sparkles twinkling in it. The wind whirled around Malorie, and the sparks grew brighter and the amount grew, until she was enfolded in the wind, invisible to the others. The wind circled her for a few moments, then blew away as quickly as it had come. Malorie's long hair, which had been hanging loosely down behind her, had been pulled up into a high ponytail. A yellow and orange fuku adorned her, and orange high heels were slipped on her feet. "Did I do it?" Malorie whispered, eyes closed in fear. "Of course!" Angie said excitedly. "Take a look at yourself, Mal, you look great!" Malorie looked down, and shrieked in joy. "Look at me! Hah! I did it! I'm Sailor-" She looked at Lune. "Topaz." Lune supplied. "-Topaz!" She cried, dancing about and grabbing Emerald's hands to make her dance also. "Senshi of the Wind and of Weather." Lune said firmly. "Hey!" Emerald said indignantly, trying to look at Lune while Topaz jerked her around. "I'm the Senshi of Nature!" "All your powers overlap others." Lune explained. "If you combine them, they will be more powerful." Emerald still looked somewhat confused and upset. "What?" "Never mind." Angie glanced at Mary and Rachelle. Then she did an elaborate bow. "To whoever wishes." Mary glanced uncertainly at the black jeweled one. Deep in her heart, she felt a strange sort of panic. She knew she was drawn to that one, but at the same time she felt the darkness radiating from it. What would she be the Senshi of? If purple was death and destruction, what could black possibly be? Her mind strayed from thought to thought in fear and a slight nausea. Angie saw the flash of uncertainty in her friend's eyes. Very carefully, she slipped her hand into Mary's and gave a light squeeze. Mary looked up and smiled before squeezing back. Angie's calming gaze strengthened her. She smiled in both thanks and acceptance, then reached forward and grabbed the black-jeweled transformer. Darkness flooded the space. The fear in Mary's eyes started to come back, but then all awareness darkened into an eerie blankness. Angie shuddered, looking into those eyes. As dark clouds swirled around Mary, and lightning flashed, Angie saw the dance of transformation beginning. When the clouds lifted and vanished, a girl in a black fuku stood there. Mary's eyes were darkened, but still had the warmth of before in them. Angela was relieved to see the blank look gone. The black jewel on her hand glittered, not a friendly shimmer, but neither evil or sinister. "Sailor Obsidian." Lune said, happiness flooding her voice. "You are the Senshi of Fear and Disease-and of Darkness." "I'm the Senshi of Darkness?!" Mary gasped in alarm. "But-does that mean I'm evil?" "Not darkness as you would think it!" Lune gasped. "Lord, no! Darkness like the night, like the clouds before the storm, like the waves during a hurricane. THAT darkness." Obsidian relaxed, and eyed her outfit with enthusiasm. "I look kind of like Sailor Pluto!" She said happily. "Not just kind of." Angie said, gazing in shock. Mary's long black hair had become even longer, and had been partially pulled up into a knot at the top of her head. Her skin was not the cinnamon-y tan Pluto's was, but the paleness seemed to suit her. "Princess Pluto and Princess Obsidian were very close friends in the days before the war." Lune remarked offhandedly. "Me?!" Obsidian gasped, sounding more like Mary. "I was friends with PLUTO?!?! But she's so cool!" "Believe it or not." Lune said dryly. "Next." Rachelle had been very quiet all this time. Now she had edged forward, and was eyeing the transformer with both suspicion and wonder. "Angie," She whispered. "I'm afraid. I mean, I'm really happy with my life now, actually. This will change everything, maybe for the worse." "Hey!" Angie said, giving Rachelle a light hug. "It's okay! I'll go first, if you want." "Well." Rachelle glanced around uneasily. "I don't know-I don't think if I'm going to do this-I don't want to be last." The firmness of the last part made Angie step back slightly. "Well!" She said brightly. "OK, then! Go ahead!" Realizing she had backed herself into a corner, Rachelle nervously edged towards the red jeweled transformer. As she reached out to touch it, the charm, as if sensing her edginess, shot forward into her hand before she could pull it back. Rachelle shrieked as a blazing ring of fire swirled up from the floor. The fire twisted into a large column. Angie and the Senshi yelled and jumped back, but the fire only generated a pleasant warmth and light. The flickering flames, though, completely hid Rachelle from sight, though Angela was sure enough what she would be doing. The flames flickered and were suddenly doused. Rachelle, in a brilliant red and orange fuku, looked rather shell-shocked. "There was fire!" She muttered, rubbing her arms. "It didn't burn, but it was there, everywhere." She looked down at her fuku, admiring it. "So, I guess I'm a Sailor Senshi now, huh?" She asked absently, eyeing her high heeled shoes. "Sailor Garnet." Lune said, practically jumping up and down. "Senshi of Fire and Psychic Powers!" Rachelle-Garnet-stood very still at that. "Psychic.powers?" She inquired softly. "Yes!" Lune said eagerly. Garnet nodded slowly, eyeing her skirt thoughtfully. "I might have known." She muttered, bleakly. "You look pretty good, Shellie!" Angie said encouragingly. Garnet patted her dark hair, looking pleased. "Really?" "Really." Obsidian reassured her, patting her head. Garnet grinned, abashed. "Your turn, Ange!" Topaz said excitedly. "Go on! One left!" Angie turned and saw the white jeweled transformer calmly floating in the air, waiting for her. She bit her lip. All the eagerness she had felt had now vanished into a nervousness. What if it rejected her? She wasn't that special..maybe someone else was a better chosen one and the charm would know that. "Go on, Angie!" Obsidian cried happily. "I did it!" Garnet added. "Come on!" "Go for it!" Angie gave her friends a smile, then, before she could change her mind, she reached out and grasped the transformer. Silvery light shot up and completely blinded her. She wanted to yell, to scream and cover her eyes. But she couldn't. She was no more than a puppet now to some greater force that moved her, closing her eyes and letting her arms and legs flow gracefully. Through her shock and fear, Angie felt a rather pleasant sensation go through her that ebbed away some of the fright. It was like warm sunshine was shining on her skin, and a cool breeze ruffled her hair. Dimly she was aware of the leotard forming. As the softness of the gloves wrapped around her fingers, the warm sensation grew stronger. She felt hot now, sizzling almost, but it was a good feeling. As her boots formed, Angie realized that the heat was coming from inside her skin, not on it. She was tingling all over, full of life and energy. Then her hands came up and placed themselves on her hips, and the light cleared. "That was really beautiful." She whispered dreamily. A low whistle came from a few feet away. "Wow." Lacie said. "Look at yourself, Angie!" Angie looked down, then yelped. A fuku with a golden skirt and top rested lightly on her body. The jewel on her hand shone with an evanescent shimmer, clear and cool. Her hair was down from its ponytail, and curled softly down past her shoulders in a far prettier way than she could have ever gotten it. Long gold boots circled up to the middle of her thighs. "Wow!" She exclaimed. "Can you say makeover?" "Okay," Sapphire said, looking at Lune, "we're all changed, now what?" Lune was fairly bursting with pride. "I'm so proud of you girls!" She cried, joyously. "You've accepted your past, your future, your curse, your responsibilities-" "Wait!! Hold on a sec!!!" Emerald yelled, grabbing Lune. "What curse?!" Lune looked blank. "The curse that I told you about. About the Jewel Senshi and love." "You never told us about any curse." Obsidian said, with a dangerous tone in her voice. "I didn't?" Lune asked, innocently puzzled. "Well, my mistake. I suppose I was due to make one, nearly a hundred years and not one slipup-" "What curse?!?!" Diamond asked angrily. Lune looked at her coolly and with still a great amount of pride, "Funny you should ask, Sailor Diamond, Senshi of Love and Light and Peace and-" "WHAT BLOODY CURSE?!?!?!?!" "When she tried to kill the seven Jewel Princesses," Lune said, speaking very fast under Diamond's glower. "Rubian's attempt was not completely deflected. Instead it was transformed into a curse." "So what's the curse?" Topaz asked, trying to calm Diamond down. "The first person that you all fall in love with, whoever it is, will be the last one. You will only fall in love with one man." "Are you SERIOUS?!?!" Sapphire shrieked. "We can only fall in love with one guy! If I had known that, I would have never done this!!" "Yeah!" Amethyst chimed in. "I mean, you could find out later the guy's a player or a jerk or a geek or an immature Pokemon lover or worse!" "And even if he IS great, what if he doesn't love you back?!" Obsidian cried. "All sorts of things can go wrong! Stupid curse!" "Lu-UNE!!" Diamond shrieked, diving after the cat. Lune began to sprint away. "Uh, well!" She called back from a safe distance away. "I think that it's about time you all went back to fight evil! So-bye!" The starlight dimension began to whirl as the colors blended together. "ARRRRGGGGGHHH!!" Diamond yelled, holding her head and clenching her eyes shut. "LUNE!!! Take it back! I don't want to be a Scoou-" A massive hole appeared in the floor, and like a drain, everything was sucked through, including the seven girls. 


	6. The First Battle! The Choosing of the L...

Okay, just want to let everyone know now, this story is NEVER stopping, so unless you have a REALLY large amount of time on your hands, don't bother finishing. It's verrrrrrrry long. :-D  
  
The seven girls went flying, screaming through space, when abruptly- WHAM!! Diamond gaped around in surprise and relief. "We're home!" All the other girls scrambled into sitting positions. "And we're back in the park!" Garnet added, eyeing a familiar park bench nearby. "Great." Obsidian said humorously. "Now, who the heck did I land on-" Her voice trailed away as she began to shake. "G-guys." "It's so good to be home!" Amethyst said, rising and stretching. "Uh-huh." "Guys-" "Hey, look! There's the evil vice-principal! Think he recognizes us?" "GUYS!!" "For Pete's sake, Obsidian, we hear you, no need to yell." "Excuse ME." Obsidian said angrily. "But look who I landed on!!" An extremely blond head and long body was crumpled under Obsidian. "Oh, my God!" Diamond exclaimed. "You squished the bad guy!" "I didn't mean to!" Obsidian wailed. "Do you think you have to go to jail?!" Topaz asked in horror. "You can't!" Sapphire said. "You're a defender of justice! No way you are allowed to go to jail." "Um, HELLO?!" Emerald shouted. "He's a bad guy, he can die, it's okay, we can de-transform, we saved the day!" "Oh. Right." "Besides." Garnet pointed. "Look, he's breathing! He's not dead yet!" "Is that a good or bad thing?" Diamond asked, edging away from the prone figure. The man gave a moan and started to twitch and move. "He's moving!" "He's waking up!" "What do we do?!" "HIDE!" Diamond screamed, jumping into bushes. "Good idea." Amethyst agreed, jumping in after her. The blond man from before stretched and rubbed his head. "Oh, damn." He muttered, rubbing his head where strangely there was no mark. "What the hell." "My, my." A drawling voice said. The seven Senshi groaned very quietly as the chestnut haired man from before strutted up. "Never thought I would see the day." He said, raising an eyebrow. "Jedin kissing the ground." "Shut up, Uther." Jedin snarled. "Something hit me." "Oh?" Uther said, smiling rather nastily. "And what, pray tell?" "I don't know." Jedin said defensively. "It fell out of the sky." "A poor excuse for not being on your guard." Uther sniffed. In the bushes behind them, the girls watched in fascination. Diamond's nose itched suddenly. She wriggled it, trying to dispel the sensation. But it only grew into a desire she couldn't control. Her eyes watered as she tried to hold it in- "Ah-CHOO!" Quick as a flash, Uther had turned and stuck his hand into the bushes. The girls squeaked and abruptly tried to pull back, but his fingers closed tight around Diamond's hair and he dragged her out. "Hello, what have we here?" Uther asked, holding Diamond by the hair several feet as she tried to squirm loose. "A human." Jedin said, getting up and trotting over. "I can see that." Uther replied snootily, eyeing Diamond. She was struggling hard, trying desperately to free herself from the incredible pain shooting through her scalp. She made a feeble attempt to kick at Uther Jedin was watching her, amused. "You're hurting her, stupid." Uther dropped her into the dust. Diamond lay curled there, massaging her head and glaring at the two resentfully. Jedin nudged her slightly with his shoe. She kicked out and hit his shin. He howled, and in a flash, hands were at her throat. "Stop-it!" She choked out. "Just let her go, idiot." Uther said, pleasantly enough. "She hardly even scratched you." "It's the principle of the thing." Jedin answered, horrible ice blue eyes burning down into hers. Terrible eyes. Diamond raised a hand, hesitated, then jammed two fingers into Jedin's face. With another cry, he dropped her and turned away, rubbing his eyes furiously. Diamond collapsed and lay in a heap, gratefully breathing. Uther was roaring with laughter. "Hah! Letting yourself get hurt by a human child! Good lord, Jedin!" "I am NOT a child." Diamond said angrily, brushing herself off and attempting to stand. Jedin had stopped rubbing his face and was glaring at her. "Power check." A thin lime green visor swept over his eyes and formed a mouthpiece in which he muttered something. Uther continued to study Diamond. "Something about you." He muttered. "There's just something." "Power levels are normal." He reported, clicking the visor away. "Status: human, around fourteen. I believe the human word is a 'teenager'. Strong physically, and in power levels she's just a little over normal. Conclusion: human child." "An excellent energy source, perhaps?" Uther said, the hungry look back in his eyes. "Perhaps." Jedin agreed, eyes glinting. "Oh, no you don't." Diamond growled. "Not taking my energy! I'll-I'll fight you!" The two immediately roared with laughter. "You, fight us?!" Jedi spluttered. "One tiny girl against two strong dark- " "Two tiny girls." A voice said as Obsidian came up to stand beside Diamond, who shot her a grateful glance. "Two against two." Uther chortled. "Even if it was us two against a hundred, the odds would still be in our favor-" "How about seven, then?" There was a great rustling, then the five other girls trotted out to stand beside Diamond and Obsidian, arms crossed. Uther stared at them intently. "Seven." He muttered. "Seven girls." "We'll all fight you." Diamond told Jedin, throwing her head back. He snorted. "Seven teenage girls against two all-powerful-" "Seven!" Uther snapped his fingers. "Seven princesses from long ago, tried to stop us." His voice trailed away as he looked even harder at the girls. "Look menacing." Amethyst whispered. The girls all stiffened and glared back. Garnet bared her teeth and tried to growl. All at once, Uther started screaming in laughter. The girls felt crushed. "He's not supposed to laugh!" Emerald complained. Jedin stared at him in amazement. "What," He asked, "has gotten into you?!" "Oh, dear." Uther said, wiping his eyes. "Do you remember a very long time ago when those seven princesses split the dimensions and their souls were sucked into the future?" Jedin nodded slowly. "Well," Uther giggled helplessly. "I believe these seven girls are under the misconception that THEY are, in fact, those seven powerful ladies!" "We ARE them." Topaz said fiercely. "Of course you are, dear." Uther said, waving his hand at her and snickering. Jedin gave a few chuckles as well. "Quite preposterous, of course." He muttered. "These seven, the Chosen Ones-" He laughed. The Senshi watched, ashamed and abashed, as the men continued to laugh. "Who else feels stupid?" Obsidian asked. Several hands were raised. "They're not treating us seriously." Sapphire muttered. A strange blue spark had ignited in her eyes. "Like we're idiots." Garnet agreed. "Poor little backwards children." The blue spark had turned into a flame. "How can we rid the world of evil if the evil won't stop making fun of us?" Emerald asked hopelessly. The flame was a burning fire now. "Jerks." Sapphire muttered. "I'm going to do something to stop your laughter!" At the last second, Diamond realized what was happening. "Sapphire! Wait- " Sailor Sapphire raised her hands. Blue light pulsed and swirled in each of them. She brought her hands together as the light expanded and swirled around her like a stream. Particles of ice started to fly in a huge waterspout around her. The air grew intensely cold as the blue fire in her eyes reached its peak- "ICY.GLACIER.FREEZE!!!" A huge wave of ice crashed towards the men. Where it hit the ground, ice sculptures sprung up in jagged designs. Uther and Jedin stopped laughing as they stared in horror- WHAM!!! The ice crashed into them, sending each flying a few feet away. The wave flew on a few more feet before dissolving into the air. The fire of power in Sapphire's eyes promptly died. "Oh, my GOD!!" She cried, staring at the jagged ice forms. "I did that!! I attacked!! I've got my first attack! Hey-you guys?" The six other scouts had flung themselves back into the bushes. "Sillies." Sailor Sapphire said, gloating as she stared at the damage. "I can't believe it! I mean, talk about a shock!" "Sapphire!" Topaz cried in warning. "Behind you!" Sailor Sapphire turned in time to see a huge jet of electric blue energy come soaring straight at her. "SAPPHIRE!!" Diamond screamed, fighting the arms that held her back. Sapphire's body, torn and bruised, hit a street light a few feet away. Her eyes opened wide for a split second as her back arched in pain, then with a moan, she crumpled to the ground. "JERKS!" Obsidian screamed. "You slimy evil scum-" "Honestly, Jedin, no need to overreact." Uther said, fingering a piece of torn tunic on his arm. "That hurt." Jedin snapped, glaring at the prone figure lying on the sidewalk. "That little witch hurt me. They aren't just kids, Uther." "Damn right." Obsidian snapped, black sparks seeming to shoot from her eyes. Uh-oh, Diamond thought. "Obsidian, please-" Emerald began, sensing danger also- Too late. "BLACK." Obsidian held her hands above her head. A ball of black energy with white lightning zigzagged inside her two cupped palms. "FEAR." She brought her cupped hands back near her waist. The lightning bolts inside grew more acute. "SWARM!!" The dark energy stopped moving for a single second, then thousands of tiny black lightning bolts flew out of the dark mass. They peppered Jedin and Uther, who winced as if they'd been stung. Obsidian gazed down at her hands in astonishment. "Did-I-how-but-" "That pretty much sums it up." Topaz said with a laugh. "You-" Jedin pulled his arm back. "Obsidian!" Amethyst screamed. "Duck!" "Huh-" Obsidian started. Amethyst abruptly dove at her, knocking both of them into the bushes. A wave of electric blue energy crashed into where she had been seconds earlier. "Darn!" Jedin muttered. "Missed!" "On your guard, Scouts!" Topaz warned. Then she looked over and saw- "Diamond!" Sailor Diamond was crouched over Sapphire's bloody form. She held one red- stained hand tightly and was whispering to Sapphire. "Hang on, Elisha." She murmured, rubbing her hand. "It'll be all right. We'll get you to a doctor, just-hang in there, okay?" Sailor Sapphire weakly nodded, and squeezed Diamond's hand back. "It looks worse than it feels, Angie. I promise." She laughed, and then immediately winced. Diamond smiled ,trying to hide tears of worry. "We've got to keep their attention away from Sapphire." Emerald instructed tensely. "Anyone else want to attack?" "I can't." Garnet confessed. "Whatever fire those two felt, I don't feel it. Maybe I can't." "Don't be silly." Amethyst snorted from the bushes. "You're a Scout just like us!" Garnet smiled, her eyes dancing. "Thank you, Amethyst." Her dancing eyes took on a spark. "So much for not having it." Obsidian muttered to Amethyst, watching Garnet. Electric blue energy shot through the bushes near Obsidian and Amethyst, making them jump aside and tumble out into the open. Jedin, with an animal-like growl, pounced like a tiger. Mary and Lacie scuttled backwards out of the way. Her pursued them like a dog, creeping forward on hands and feet. Very suddenly, Garnet's high-heel jammed into his hand. Jedin howled, then glared up at her. Garnet's voice was the hiss of fire. "So, you really are an animal, aren't you?" She asked, in a low threatening tone. "We're more than animals." Uther said, floating up to face her. He smirked. "You think humans may be at the top of the food chain, but the fact is, we're the things that prey on humans. We're your worst nightmares, your hunters, your predators." Garnet drew herself to her full height-which was still very small-and eyed him coldly. "Yet you slink on the ground like beasts, and attack innocent people, like little girls and teenagers. In the thought of decency, you are certainly less than us." "And how would you know we prey on children?" Uther asked calmly, but his face turning snakelike. Garnet snorted. "You tried to attack a trio of young girls in the park. When they ousted Jedin-" she ground her heel a little harder into his hand, "-with force, you tried to use psychic power to hold them still, but something blocked you." Uther was pale with anger. "You!" He hissed, all composure gone. "You! You blocked me, you little witch!" "I did." Garnet said coldly, the flame leaping to new heights in her eyes. "And now I'm going to do it again." She raised a hand in the air. "SCORCHING- " A ball of fire burst in her hand, heat radiating from it so hot that the girls shied away. Uther glared at her, eyes flickering black. "-FIREBALLS-" The flame separated into multiple tiny balls of flame that started swirling around in Garnet's hand. "-FIRE!!!!!!!" The fireballs suddenly grew to the sizes of beach balls and went hurtling at Uther. Seconds before impact, they exploded on a electric-blue shield that formed around him. "Nice try." Uther sneered. Garnet ground her teeth. "Scroodles!" Jedin abruptly heaved up with his hand, sending Garnet crashing into Emerald and Topaz. They all fell to the ground. "OW!" Topaz cried, holding her knee. "I skinned my leg!" Jedin and Uther stood side by side, not even acting injured in the slightest way. "Pathetic." Jedin sneered, loathing and mockery on every syllable. "Truly pathetic. To think you were once the justice forces of the universe." Obsidian, Amethyst, Emerald, Topaz, and Garnet hung together, shivering a little. Garnet sniffed once or twice. "That wraps everything just about up." Uther said, businesslike. "The only question left is, which one to kill first?" "Let's see-what is that chant you humans use?" Jedin murmured, tapping a finger to his chin as Topaz let out a tiny moan of fright. "Oh, yes-eenie, weenie, myna, moe, which scout will be the first to go?" He teasingly waved his finger around and watched as each scout flinched away. "Eenie," he pointed to Emerald, "weenie," to Obsidian, "myna," to Amethyst. Each girl tensed in horrible anticipation. But Jedin's eyes had found another target. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the still-weak Sapphire, blood still coming from her many wounds; Diamond frantically bending over her, trying to stop the bleeding. "Moe." Diamond had no hint of the oncoming attack. She was cleaning a cut on Sapphire's face when suddenly Sapphire's eyes opened very wide and focused behind her. Diamond turned- And a huge lightning bolt caught her shoulder. She reeled backwards from the power of that blow, falling and striking the ground. She lay there, blood trickling down her shoulder and her head throbbing from the pain were it had hit the sidewalk. And very suddenly, a fire lit on the inside. Anger and rage built up in her, warm and satisfying, and completely numbing the pain. Heat was building up in her hands and her head, the jewel on her glove and on her tiara as well as her charm right over the heart were blazing hot with power. Jedin's hands were on Sapphire's neck and he was bending his face towards hers when a kick sent him sprawling on the ground. He leapt up immediately in anger, and Uther rushed forward. Sailor Diamond was practically shining with energy. Every bit of her seemed radiant and luminescent. Her voice was steady when she spoke, but filled with hot anger. "So, you not only attack innocent, you attack the weak and helpless. You choose to kill the injured one before daring to take on her partners." She spat on the ground. "Pigs. Slime. Filth." "Arrogant, aren't you?" Uther inquired softly. "Perhaps." She said, raising a hand. Jedin chuckled, but without humor. "What, are you going to try to attack? We can block your wimpy attempts, you know." "Not this one." Diamond said, power and anger coming to a peak. "GOLDEN HALO ATTACK!!!!" A nova of light exploded at her fingertips. A shining golden disc formed in between her two outstretched palms. It twirled softly as she stared at it, never once moving or stopping. She smiled as she stared into its depths. She knew, somehow, exactly what to do. Quick as a wink, she crossed her arms in an X, the disc staying in front of them. As she flung her arms out wide, the halo went spinning away like a Frisbee. It headed straight for Jedin. Jedin gave a horrible cry as the disc cut into his shoulder. But instead of stopping, it continued, cutting the side of Uther's face and then Jedin's side. With a snarl, Uther tried to grab it, but the disc spun away from him and back to Diamond. For a moment, as she watched those razor-sharp blades coming at her, she panicked. Would it hit her? But, very slowly, the disc stopped spinning. The light dimmed, and finally it dissolved into nothing a foot away from her. The heat gradually dissipated from her limbs. "Oh, wow." Diamond said, gingerly waving her hand in the air as if to check and make sure the disc was really gone. "If there are any doubts you are not a Sailor Senshi, they are gone." Uther said, fingering the cut on his face. "But you are no High Princess, and you still do not have the power to defeat us." Jedin was actually limping slightly. His face was taut with hate and anger. "You-" he began, starting to get worked up, then he subsided, muttering. "I just beat you." Diamond said coolly, crossing her arms. "Not yet!" Jedin snarled, anger flaring up again. "We're going to-" "Hold on, Jedin." Uther said, glancing at his wrist where a curious wristwatch was attached. "The Boss just called. He wants us to come back with the energy we've got now. Our time limit is almost up." Jedin ground his teeth in anger and glared at Diamond in hate. "We'll find you, Jewel Senshi. We'll hunt you down and drain every drop of energy from your miserable bodies. And when we do, you'll regret the day you tried to hurt us!" Uther started to shimmer, and then in a flash, he disappeared. "We aren't finished with you all yet," Jedin threatened. "You all will pay for this-starting with your leader." With that parting remark, he too shimmered and phased out. "Yeah, whatever." Diamond replied to the empty air. A low moan startled her back to her senses. She turned only to remember Sapphire's predicament. Garnet and Topaz was kneeling by her as the others crowded around. Each face was grim. Diamond came up and took Sapphire's hand. Sapphire gazed at her, a smile flickering over her face. "I heard you attacking those guys, Diamond. Very impressive. Only wish I could have seen what made Jedin scream. He sounded like a girl." She let out a laugh that quickly turned into a hacking cough. "We think the blast might have done something to her insides, too." Garnet murmured in Diamond's ear. "She's in pretty bad shape, Angie." Diamond tried to keep from crying as she stared into her newfound friend's bloody face. Sapphire's eyes had closed, and her breathing came more slowly. "NO!" Diamond shouted, shaking Sapphire. "We're not losing ANYONE to these creeps! No one! No one!" Tears streamed down her face. Golden tears. Garnet gasped in realization. Diamond's tears were golden, and shining with a serene, evanescent light. As a golden drop dripped onto her scratched hand there was a tingle of energy. Then as she watched, the skin around the deep cut on her hand drew together and healed. "I'm not going to lose any of you." Diamond went on, tears still dripping down her face. "I won't. You all are some of my closest friends already. I know I can't lose any of you, I can feel it! And I won't lose anyone in our first battle!" She stood up, sobs wracking her body. Her hands suddenly shot up into the air as she cried, "EVERLASTING LOVE PURIFY!!!" Streams of golden light floated out of her fingers. Unlike her attack, this light was gentle, soothing. It swirled around like water, cascading down to Sapphire's body. Sapphire felt the light on her skin. It was cool, and almost tickly. It gently wrapped around her cut and wounds. Then, without warning, the light went INTO her wounds! There was a moment when her whole world shook with agony and her vision was blinded by pain-and then the light retreated, leaving her both peaceful and shocked. All her wounds had healed. She got up, rubbing the arm she was sure had been broken in amazement and wiggling her fingers. "Diamond!" She cried. "That was incredible, that was amazing, that was-" There was a "WHUMP!" as Diamond promptly fell over and collapsed on the ground. "-that was obviously very hard to do." Sapphire said, helping her friend sit up. "I'm dizzy." Diamond murmured giddily, slumping against Topaz on her other side. "How.?" Obsidian asked, dazedly. She had been pretty sure no medical work could have saved Sapphire. Yet here she was, walking, talking, breathing. Alive. "Not how." Diamond said, looking up at her. "The question is why, and that's easy to answer." Obsidian grinned. "You're crazy and slightly suicidal, you know, right?" Diamond nodded. "But I'm alive. And we're all alive. And those two were beamed back up to wherever they came from." "But they'll be back." "Lune!" The golden cat licked her paw and jumped down from the nearby tree. "Excellent work, scouts. You especially, Diamond. I am pleased you have already discovered your defensive power of healing. It takes great power and intelligence to manage it so quickly." Diamond blushed slightly and looked at the ground. She had come to be fond of the cat, as bossy and rude as she was. "They'll be back?" Emerald asked in concern. "When? Where? Today?" "Not today, I should think." Lune said, scratching behind her ear. "They- ouch, that itches!-will want to examine what they're up against. They'll listen to Uther and Jedin's reports, then go back and research their last fight with you, and then begin a strategy and then plan their next attack. Two or three days might have passed by that time." "Good." Amethyst said, wiping her brow. "That was tiring!" "You didn't even do anything!" Obsidian said with a laugh. "Except save your butt from getting hurt like Sapphire!" Amethyst shot back. "Chill, you guys." Diamond said, absent-mindedly scratching Lune's back. "Diamond?" Garnet asked. "Was it just me, or did Jedin refer to you as the leader?" "I-I thought he did." Diamond admitted. "But-we're a team, you know? No leader." "I think they're should be." Topaz said. "We need someone to instruct us. I mean, I'm strong and smart, but I can't ever think of good battle plans. I'm not a leader-type person. Second-in-command, maybe. Fighter, definitely. Not leader." "Me either." Garnet agreed. "I'm not as physically strong, but I can evaluate enemy movements pretty well. I'm not leader material either. I've got half of what it takes, but not the whole deal." "You did fairly well in battle." Obsidian gasped from Amethyst's headlock. "Your attack seemed to do a bit more damage then ours. You protected Sapphire when she was down and then healed her. Pretty good leadership." "What could I do??" Diamond protested. "I was closest. Besides, I should have been helping you guys!" "She's right!" Sapphire said. "I'll be the leader!" Diamond looked at Sapphire a moment, then smiled and shrugged. "What the heck? I guess-if everyone wants me to be a leader-" "Yes!" "We're sure!" "Positive!" "Absolutely!" "Awww." Sapphire said in disappointment. "Fine, you'll be an okay leader..I guess." Her voice trailed away as she winked at Diamond. "By the way, Lune." Emerald said casually. "What were those people?" "Yeah, they claimed they weren't human. Do they have extraordinary powers?" Amethyst asked. "Are they just." Her voice trailed away. Lune's calm manner had vanished. She seemed to have been reminded of something that she had forgotten. Something terrible. "Oh, Jewel Senshi." She whispered. "Pray that you never find out what they truly are. Pray they keep their humanoid forms. Otherwise you will find yourselves in a place beyond terror." "We're not afraid." Diamond claimed, looking both puzzled and defiant. "You will be." 


	7. A Second Battle! The Meeting of Diamond...

Okay, the chapters from here on in are very long. Actually, this was supposed to be Chapter 3. Oh well.  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Jedin and Uther knelt on a cold black marble floor, heads bowed. Columns of the same black marble were everywhere in no particular order, and strange, hideous black statues reared out of the sea of black, faces grotesque. The light was dim, made only by candelabras lining on certain columns here and there. A ghostly mist trailed about the floor. A small, wrinkly yellow man with a long staff walked out in front of the altar before Jedin and Uther. His staff was as black as the floors and columns with a long gray-green pendant at the end The man himself was ugly and wrinkly with dark eyes like tunnels that could look into your soul. His high-pitched voice rang out in the great hall and vanished into the endless depths of the ceiling. "Well, boys." He cackled. "How much energy did we bring in today, hmm?" Wordlessly Uther passed to the man a small crystal ball filled with a crystalline ball of light. It swam about in the ball, swirling like something alive. The little man eyed it. "Good, good. Not as much as we usually get our first day, but still acceptable." He chuckled and put the ball on a small pedestal to the side of the altar. "Master Ithengil." Uther said head still bowed. "On this planet there is trouble." "Trouble?" Ithengil asked, turning back to him. "What trouble?" "Seven scouts." Jedin answered, barely concealing subordination in his voice. "Seven Senshi. And they hide their powers well, we could barely feel them." "It just means they are unusually weak." Ithengil said comfortably, stretching wrinkled yellow arms. "Or unusually strong, to be able to hide like that." Uther said seriously. "Four of them issued attacks, and the strongest, their leader-she cut both of us. They have sacred powers, High Priest." The High Priest pursed his lips and said nothing. Jedin broke in with disgust. "Of course, they were just pretty young girls, sir. Obviously they pose no threat, what with their long legs and smooth hair! A warrior must be ugly and fierce, of course!" Ithengil waved his hand at Jedin. Jedin's mouth snapped shut. "What were their appearances like?" Ithengil asked sharply to Uther. "Quickly! Tell me!" "Uh-" Uther said, surprised. "Well, the leader one, she had on a golden skirt and top thing, and had gloves with gold lining. Yellow hair, boots- we think they might have been the Jewel Sen-" Ithengil hit Uther over the head with his staff. Uther cried out as bugs began streaming out of his mouth. He spat them out again and again; huge, ugly black beetles covered the floor. "Idiots!" Ithengil hissed. "To not be able to recognize Jewel Senshi when you see their leader!" "But-" Uther coughed out another bug. "I was-blah!-just about to say that!" Ithengil took no notice of him. "I must consult the Lady on this." He announced, moving towards the altar. "You two-oh, here." He impatiently waved his hand. Uther frantically wiped his tongue as a last beetle popped out, and Jedin, who had been turning purple, gasped for air. "You two check the files. Get Katrina to help you." A low, smooth voice came out of the darkness near a pillar. "Perhaps you should have an on-the-location scout?" Ithengil chuckled. "Fine, Damon. You go take care of those girls. Show them a little more action then these two dolts did." In the darkness, two ice blue eyes glittered like hard stones. "As you wish, sir." * * * Angie woke when a sun beam slanted across her face. She lay in the warm morning sun, half-dozing and thinking about the things she would do today. It was Saturday, and it had been two days since the horrible attack and the change to her life. If she hadn't known better, she would have thought it was a dream. Except. Angela's eyes strayed down to the golden spot on a dark corner of her bed and smiled. Lune was curled up on her own personal pillow, and very deeply asleep. Her other two cats, who were up by her pillow, had not liked this intruder, her two dogs were intrigued by the newcomer. As far as she knew, her mother and father were pleased with this elegant addition, and her brother already in love. She had been able to explain the golden diamond on Lune's forehead with a vague shrug of her shoulders, but had nearly lost this pretense when her brother, with a laugh about the scar, said, "It's like Luna, except a diamond instead of a crescent moon!" She had froze, then laughed nervously and towed Lune away from his prying eyes. As if sensing her thoughts, Lune, without opening her eyes, said, "Your brother's a bit of a cat fanatic, isn't he?" "No doubt about it." Angie agreed, reaching down and scratching her ears. Lune allowed this for a moment, then scrambled up to her pillow where the other two watched her with wide eyes. "Scram, pillow-hoggers." She told them crossly. With a yelp and a hiss, the two scattered. Angie grinned at Lune. "You're not making any friends that way." Lune curled up next to her head and began to wash herself, then abruptly stopped. "I'm not here to make friends, so that works." She told Angie, spitting out a few cat hairs. "And at any rate, it's time to get up. You've got to train, now." Angie moaned. "Do I have to?" "Of course." Lune said severely, starting to tug the blankets back off her prone form. She groaned and pushed both the covers and Lune back, and headed to her closet to get changed. * * * Several hours later all seven girls who had been at the first battle stood in a rather large gym. Lune, on an exploration of the town, had set up a temporary training gym in an old warehouse where she insisted no one ever went. The whole place was now outlined with padded floors, jungle gyms, trapezes, monkey bars, and laser motion-activated shooters meant to help speed up reflexes. "I used to still be asleep now, you know?" Mary grumbled as Lune started setting up training programs on a computer in the far wall. "I mean,, it's only 10 o'clock!! I guess there's no rest for a superhero." She sighed dramatically. "We do need training." Malorie reminded her gently. "We're still very weak compared to the-men-we fought. We need to be much stronger." "Especially me." Rachelle groaned. "I'm really not cut out for physical activity!" "Well, you're about to." Lune said, padding back across the floors. "Now basically I want you to be in groups of three. Diamond and Emerald-" Marisa coughed loudly. "-Angie and Marisa." Lune said with a slight glare at Marisa, who smiled. All the girls had insisted their human names be used out of Senshi-form. "Angie and Marisa will start with the monkey bars." Lune continued. "Malorie and Lacie, take the trapezes. Mary, Rachelle, and Elisha, you'll try handling the lasers first." She paused, and with a wicked smirk, added, "And try not to get hit. Those lasers will give you a nasty sting." Rachelle gulped. "All right." Lune said loudly. "Go!" Almost immediately there was complete pandemonium. Angela and Marisa on the monkey bars were first. Angela reached for the bar in front of her about halfway through, lost her grip on the first, slipped, and tried to grab onto Marisa's legs. Marisa shrieked and kicked violently, lost her grip, and both fell, Marisa on top of Angela. Lacie was just behind Malorie on the trapezes. She swung forward too enthusiastically, hit Malorie, and both went flying off, shrieking and screaming. Mary, Elisha, and Rachelle had been in trouble from the beginning. The lasers came out of holes in the walls and they were almost impossible to avoid. The three girls jumped around, screaming whenever they got shot. Rachelle finally flung herself down on the ground, waiting for the barrage to be over. Lune said nothing, just sat and waited for what the girls would do. Marisa eyed the monkey bars with disgust, but sighed and flexed a few times. Angela had determinedly gotten back on immediately. Malorie and Lacie, after dusting each other off, had started again, but this time Malorie had chosen to be behind Lacie. Mary and Elisha had thrown themselves on the ground beside Rachelle. The first two groups quickly finished their two trials. The third group remained very firmly on the ground. Finally, Mary, in disgust, jumped up. She roared, "Cut it OUT, you crazy machine!" and pointed a finger at it. The machine shot several bolts at her. She made a valiant attempt to dodge. "Hah!" Mary crowed in triumph as one of those bolts passed her. "Missed- ow!-missed me, you stupid-ow!- machine!" "Lune, can we stop??" Rachelle begged from her cowering position on the floor. "Better to learn here than in a real battle." Lune told her. "I can shut the machine off anytime, your enemies are relentless. More importantly, they're better shots." Rachelle grumbled. "Well, maybe in a real battle we would have, I don't know, instincts or something that would help us!" "Those will come when you're better fighters." Lune said coldly. "The most dangerous time for you is now, when your powers are still weak and the enemy knows of you. They will do anything to try to wipe you out, before you become a real threat." Rachelle grumbled but did not argue. "Now." Lune said, turning to a computer keyboard behind her (it continually fascinated the girls as to how she used her paws as hands). "I'm going to program it for a level you might be able to dodge easier. Try this one on for-Angie?" Angie had gone quite rigid suddenly. She stood straight, perfectly still, hardly breathing. One by one each girl stiffened, waiting. "What is it?" Lune asked, knowing full well what it was. "Something." Angela muttered. "Something's-wrong. The air's funny. And my brain keeps-twitching." "Like there's a signal input in your head." Marisa said, goose bumps raising on her flesh. "I think-" Malorie said hesitantly. "I think there's something bad afoot. Like the men we saw a few days ago." "They're back already?" Mary asked quietly. "I had hoped they might just give up and go away." Lacie flexed her muscles and stretched. "Well? What are we waiting for? Let's transform and get it!" "We don't know where it is." Angie cautioned, trying her best to be a responsible leader. "We can't run out into the middle of nowhere not knowing where our enemy is." "That's why I have this." Lune said, pressing a green button on the computer screen. The walls of the gymnasium suddenly flew straight up. Huge computer and television screens dotted the walls, each showing a picture of a downtown area. Some had statistical analysis of enemy powers, some their own strengths and weaknesses. Some had large block maps of possible targets, like malls and commons. "Wow." Elisha said, awestruck. "How long did it take you to put this up?!" "Your technology is advanced, but rather easy to learn and hack into, once the basic are mastered." Lune said smoothly, running searcher through all the screens. "Hoity-toity, Miss Alien Kitty." Rachelle muttered. "It's should be-let's see-" Lune peered intently at the searcher. "It should be right-" "-there." Angela finished, pointing up at a screen near the top. A dark haired head had just appeared among the mass of brown of blond ones. "That's at the mall." Elisha said, adjusting her glasses. "Well, then," Lacie said with a smile and a crack of her knuckles. "Let's go shop." She raised a hand over her head with a look of righteous triumph on her face. "Amethyst Transforming Power!" Nothing happened. Lacie frowned, shook her hand, then raised it again, with a more determined look. "Amethyst Thingy Power!" Still nothing. Elisha and Mary snickered in the background. Lacie growled. Angrily, she yelled, "AMETHYST JEWEL POWER!!!" Dust fell off the ceiling and thickly coated all the girls. Marisa sneezed. "I don't think it's working, Lacie." "Gee, thanks, you think?" Lacie muttered, angrily shaking her hand like it was broken. "Where did our transformers go anyway?" Angela asked Lune. "They just vanished after we de-transformed." Lune smiled the annoying, superior, mysterious smile. "Cut the crap, give us the charms." Mary said dismissively. "Watch your tongue." Lune said snippily. "I will take as long as I want." "Lune," Elisha said pleasantly. "May I remind that a very evil-person-is out roaming the streets looking for energy, and we're the only ones who can stop him. However, we cannot stop him in our current forms, and we cannot turn to Senshi because WE DO NOT HAVE THOSE IDIOTIC LITTLE TRANSFORMERS!! NOW GIVE THEM TO US!!" Lune was blown back by the force of the last part. "Fine." She said, looking slightly stunned but still offended. "You want your charms, you've got them." There was a queer shimmering in the air above the girls. Each girl held their breath as the shimmer turned different colors, like the Northern Lights. Then it faded down into seven separate lights. Slowly a bracelet formed in each ball of light. Each bracelet-the same ones that had grabbed when they had first transformed- floated down to rest in each girl's hand. "Wow." Angela said, fingering her shimmering white charm. "That was dramatic." "So." Lacie said, eagerly glancing at Lune. "Can we transform now?" "Go right ahead." Lune said without moving. Each girl stared blankly at their transformer. Elisha shook hers up and down once or twice. Rachelle flicked her charm with a fingernail. "ALL RIGHT!!" Mary exploded. "We give up!! What the heck d'you do to transform?!" Lune gave her an extremely annoying look of superiority. "Wouldn't you like to know." "LUNE!!!!" "All right!" Lune shouted in alarm as all the girls rushed at her, teeth bared and hands clenched. "Just wave it over your heads, shout your respective jewel and say, "Star Power, Make-up!" "That's it?" Angela asked incredulously. "That's it." Angie scowled at Lune. "You couldn't even make it the least bit interesting, could you?" She muttered in disgust. "Diamond Star Power- Make Up!!" "Sapphire Star Power-Make-Up!" "Emerald Star Power-Make Up!" "Obsidian Star Power-Make Up!" "Garnet Star Power-Make Up!" "Topaz Star Power-Make Up!" "Amethyst Star Power-Make Up!" "TRANSFORM!" Multicolored lights filled the air like a thousand butterflies. Each of the girls began to dance their transformation. Lights cleared as the seven Jewel Senshi stood in their own stance. "Wow!" Sapphire said, yanking at her skirt a bit. "It really wasn't a dream!" "It's still so cool." Topaz sighed dreamily. "The transformation, I mean." "Hello?" Diamond asked, snapping her fingers. "Excuse me? People? Evil villain running rampant in streets stealing energy, ere go stop him?" "What?" Obsidian inquired. Diamond sighed. "Can we please go kick some evil alien's butt?" "I'm all for it!" Emerald said, nodding her head. "But-how do we get to the mall? It's all the way across town. And I don't think our costumes would go over real big on public transport." "True." Garnet agreed. "Do we have any other powers?" Amethyst asked Lune. "You know-flying, teleportation, mind melding-something?" "You figure it out." Lune said haughtily. "I can't help you from here. You've got to go at this yourselves." Amethyst glared at her, then turned to face Diamond. "We've got to try something. I don't know-maybe we can leap really long or high or something." Diamond skeptically looked at her feet. She bounced up and down a few times. Nothing happened. Topaz jumped up and down and jogged in place to try super speed. Still nothing. Finally Garnet took a few steps backwards and took a deep breath. The others hastily cleared a path, sensing something of importance was about to happen Up until the time she had met Angela and the others-two days ago-Rachelle had had a terrible fear of overexerting herself. She hated physical activity with a passion and preferred sticking by her computer. But now. Instincts were flowing in her, deep instincts. She started to sprint forward, then launched herself into the air. All the other Senshi gasped as Garnet sailed through the air and landed at the far end of the gym. Some hidden wings beneath her feet had risen up and propelled her across the room. Gingerly, Diamond stepped back, then launched herself forward as Garnet had with a vigor. Garnet winced as Diamond collided hard with the wall beside her. There was gasps from the other end. "Diamond!" Topaz called. "You cool?" "Uh.there was a truck." Diamond said dizzily, shaking her head. "Whoa." She waved to the other end. "I'm fine! C'mon! Try it!" "And crash into the wall like you did, Miss Graceful?" Sapphire yelled. "No thanks!" "Come on, you big babies." Diamond taunted. "You chicken?" Obsidian sprung forward with a yelp of regret and resignation. She sailed through the air to land beside Garnet's other side. "Wheee!" She said instantly. "Fun!" Emerald and Topaz, holding hands, sprung forward in a graceful arc that ended abruptly like Diamond's had. "Ow." Emerald muttered from under Topaz. "That hurt." Sapphire eyed the others at the far end with suspicion. Sensing her friend's fear, Amethyst stepped up behind her and gave her a good push. Everyone gasped as Sapphire hit the wall with a "CLUNK!" and slid to the floor. "Darn you, Amethyst." She murmured, rubbing her head. "Throwing that wall at me." Amethyst easily landed beside her, and smiled down triumphantly. "See? Nothing to it. You just pushed too hard." Sapphire gave a half-hearted growl. "Let's move out!" Diamond cried, running towards the door. "Good luck, you lot!" Lune called after them. The seven scouts raced out into the morning sun. Quickly Diamond sprang up towards a building. She landed safely on top and glanced around. "Come on!" There was a scream as Amethyst flew right over the building. She sailed over Diamond's head and landed in another alley. The others jumped up. Sapphire had an evil grin on her face. "That's for messing me up the first time!" She called to Amethyst. Amethyst launched herself back up and knocked into Sapphire. The two glared at each other. "Not now, you two!" Topaz called, leaping away across the buildings, following Diamond, who was already several blocks away. "Yikes!" Sapphire squealed, taking off. "Wait for us!" Amethyst yelled, jumping after her. A few minutes later, they were on top of the mall. Sapphire and Amethyst landed last, with a reproachful glance from Sailor Diamond. Straying to the big portion of the roof that was made of glass, Emerald peered inside. "Diamond!" She hissed, frantically waving her over. "I think we might have our guy!" Diamond leapt to her side and looked down into the mall. An inky black head was moving among the blonds, redheaded, and brunettes. Diamond nodded grimly. "That's our guy." "So." Obsidian said. "Do we do a dramatic entrance by the ceiling or a less interesting but probably safer one by the doors?" "Wait." Topaz cautioned. "We'll make ourselves look really stupid if we just waltz in and attack this guy. We need to see him drain energy or whatever first." "So what do we do?" Sapphire asked, sarcastically. "Walk down there wearing dark glasses hoping no one asks us about our attire?" All the girls glanced at Sapphire, then at each other, then back at Sapphire again. * * * "I cannot believe we're dressed up in dark glasses spying on this guy hoping no one comments on our attire." Sapphire groaned. The seven girls were now down in the mall, trying to inconspicuously follow the dark-haired man from behind several newspapers. "We've got newspapers and shopping bags, too." Garnet said cheerfully. "Oh, yeah." Sapphire muttered. "That really helps our disguise. We've been in here five minutes and we're already getting weird looks." "Just-keep-moving." Obsidian growled. She was getting tired of Sapphire's complaints. "Has he done anything yet?" Diamond asked Amethyst, who had the best view of the man sauntering past Old Navy. "Well, he's examined three different stores, one of which was Victoria's Secret." Amethyst said helpfully, peering from behind her newspaper. "He seemed most interested in that one." Emerald giggled. The two girls chuckled together. Diamond was not amused. "Come on, guys, this is serious! This guy could make a move, and if we're not watching-" "Diamond!" Topaz hissed. "Where'd he go?!" "What!" Abandoning her newspaper, Diamond frantically scanned the crowds. The dark man had vanished. "Darn it!" She swore under her breath, then grabbed her newspaper, opened it purposefully in front of her face, and calmly began to push her way through the crowds. Amethyst stared after her. "Is she nuts?! We'd be in plain site to all those eyes! I've already got two comments that I look like a Sailor Moon dork!" Topaz frowned. "Just ignore them, I guess, we've got to follow her!!" Diamond pushed through the crowds, getting faster and faster until she was almost running. A sense of evil surged in her heart. Where was that man?!!? Very suddenly, she stopped dead. Behind her, first Obsidian, then Amethyst, Topaz, Garnet, Sapphire, and Emerald ran into her. "Ouch!" Garnet said, voice muffled from the back of Topaz's fuku. "Diamond, what the heck." Her voice trailed off as she saw what had made Diamond stop. An eighteen year old cashier was suspended twelve feet above the floor on a glass wall. Her head was bowed, and her hands and feet shackled to the wall by chains that looked horribly like claws and hands. People were starting to flee, screaming at the sight. "There!" Emerald hissed, pointing. "Hold it, you!" Diamond shouted. The dark-haired man stood in front of the chained girl, looking up at her. Slowly, he turned and faced the seven girls. Diamond suddenly felt herself grow hot all over. She felt she would faint. This man-who was obviously evil-was the most gorgeous guy she had ever laid eyes on. He was taller than she, over six feet. Tanned skin, hard muscles, a nose and mouth not too big or too small. And his eyes. Diamond let out a small cry as his dark eyes pierced her blue ones. They were intense, and looked right into her soul. She knew beyond doubt if she let it continue, he would overcome her, brainwash her. She forced herself to look back into those endless depths, and saw- Pain. His eyes, she thought to herself. So deep and sad.. They make my heart ache.. Emerald's voice brought her back to reality. "Wow!" She hissed. "For someone evil, he sure is hot!" "Too bad." Obsidian agreed, licking her lips. "Really too bad." Diamond felt shame flooding her. Stupid, she thought to herself. Him evil. You good. You killee evil man. Simple as that. But she could not tear her eyes away. * * * Damon had, at first, been disgusted with humans. His arrival in a random mall dressing room had been carefully planned and executed, and his clothes changed to equal that of a young human male, but he had still been wary. Surely this planet's people could sense his power. On some planets, they were discovered right away, and had to take drastic measures. But the rumors had been true: Opal's people were surprisingly immune to the presence of magic. He strolled out into the 'mall', spying around, pretending to look at stores with a surprising amount of odd clothing in them. (He had spent several minutes in front of one with strange clothes that were small and would have seemed to be extremely uncomfortable. Humans were so strange.) All the time his power ran free, searching through the crowds for someone bright and full of life. He found several possible energy sources, and had been about to go after one, when- at the back of his mind- -he felt seven incredibly powerful energies spring into life. They were far away, but quickly they began to draw nearer. He cursed then. He had felt that power on almost every other planet he had been to, but not as many or as strong. Sailor Senshi, he thought with disgust. The do-gooders of the galaxy. How-pathetic. When he felt their presence enter the mall, he jumped. How had they already found him? Try as he might, he could not discern them from the crowds. Ah, well, no matter. He had a job to do. Quietly, Damon moved through the crowds like smoke, slipping towards the nearest energy source. He had found the girl on a break, sipping coffee near a fountain. He had come up behind. She quickly turned, and then smiled at him. He felt a smile curve on his lips. Of course. She thought he was human. Coils of energy had wrapped around her and flung her up against the transparent wall behind them before she could blink. The girl had screamed, of course, and struggled, as he summoned two Screamers to hold in her place. The humans had finally noticed him, by now, and they began screeching and running. He watched them leave with scorn, then turned to the girl. This was too easy. "Hold it, you." A voice said from behind him. Damon turned slowly to face who he knew would be there. His hand was clenched, ready to fire a bolt. Better to end this stupid team now instead of later. Seven Sailors had stood in front of him. That was a surprise. Seven was a lot of scouts for one planet. But was even more surprising was their leader. Damon had been to many planets, and seen many examples of beauty. He had even killed some. The head Sailor was not as pretty as half of the females he had seen on other planets, but-still-there was something there that he had never seen before. The girl was staring at him in the same way, clear blue eyes flashing with shock and surprise. For some reason, he hated those eyes. Hated them with a bitter passion. * * * Sailor Diamond shook herself. She was being stupid. "Hey, you!" She called. "Aw, Diamond, do we have to fight?" Sapphire whined. "He's so cute!" Diamond ignored her and the whispers of excitement around her. "Who are you, jerk, and what do you think you're doing?! I am Sailor Diamond, leader of the Jewel Sailor Senshi! As Senshi of Love and Light for Opal, I will punish you!!" The man laughed, flicking a strand of hair out of his eyes. (Diamond swallowed hard.) "So, the famous Sailor Senshi of Opal. How pleasant to see you all again." "Again?" Diamond asked, questioning. "Not surprised you don't remember me." He said, smiling at her. The smile made her both want to scream in terror and swoon. "I am called Damon, one of Rubian's minions." "Yeah, I figured the whole, 'Rubian's minion' part." Diamond said snippily. "As I should hope." The two gazed at each other in silence for a moment. "Get him!" Obsidian yelled, coming out of her trance. "YES!" The others shouted, leaping at him. Damon appeared momentarily surprised, but as Obsidian lunged at him, he leapt up into the air and hovered there. "Get DOWN here, cheapskate!!" Emerald bellowed, leaping for him. "I want to repay what you gave to Sapphire the other day!" Her eyes began to glow with a green fire. "As if you could." Damon retorted from his air position. "Oh, yeah?" Emerald asked, green fire sparkling between her fingers. "You're messing with the Sailor Scout of Nature, pal. And nature's pretty violent!" Green sparks wrapped around Emerald in a blazing whirl. Vines and leaves formed, and from these sprouted pink blossoms. "BEAUTY ROSES BLAST!!!!!" The sparks abruptly stopped spinning, and like a green typhoon, flung themselves in green and pink darts at Damon. He ducked, and the attack went flying away, evaporating when it hit the wall. "Darn!" Emerald swore. "Nearly had him!" "Actually, you didn't." Damon said helpfully. "Shut up." Emerald ordered. "I'll shut him up for you!" Amethyst growled, purple flames wreathing around her head. "Be careful." Diamond whispered in her ear. "This guy looks like he doesn't get angry easily." Amethyst gave her a quick smile. "No fears, great leader." She turned and concentrated on the floating individual. "DEATH CRESCENTS-" Two glowing purple boomerangs formed in each of Amethyst's hands. She held them firmly, even though it seemed the edges were razor sharp. "-DESTROY!!!!" She drew her arms back and flung both of the boomerangs. They whizzed through the air, making a high whine as they went. "Dark shield!" Damon cried, placing on open hands in front of the on- coming crescents. The crescents hit a shield of dark lightning that formed suddenly where Damon's hand was. The two boomerangs sizzled, then disappeared in a puff of smoke. Amethyst stared up in horror. "My attack!" "My attack." Damon said with smile. "Ice volcano!!!" A whirling hole appeared in the floor. Long ice spears began to shoot out of it, aimed at the girls. "Jump!" Diamond cried, leaping into the air. Most followed her, but Sapphire tripped as she tried to leap away. She lay in the oncoming path of the ice crystals, staring at them in horror. "Sapphire! Dodge!" Garnet yelled. Sapphire covered her eyes and start to cry out, "Aaaaaaaah-" Electric blue light swirled around her, enveloping her in a light blue shield. "LIGHTNING SHIELD SHOCK!" The ice spears hit the shield and cracked, sending small lightning bolts skidding everywhere along the shield. As more and more hit, the shield began to splinter. "Diamond!" Sapphire cried. "I-can't-hold them-" Without pausing to think, Diamond leapt down beside Sapphire and grabbed her around her waist. As the shield cracked down the middle, she leapt back up into the air, towing Sapphire with her. They both landed safely on the second floor where the others were waiting for them. "Creep!" Topaz shouted at Damon. "Baka!" "I don't have time for this." Damon declared, turning to fly back up to the still-frozen girl. "I call you, Screamers! Demons of the dark will, slaves of Rubian, do as I will!" All the scouts gasped as the handcuffs in the walls suddenly evaporated. Diamond started to jump for the girl, but Damon already had her in his grasp. On the floor, two black puddles formed. From the puddles, two humanoid figures surged up. The horrible black liquid formed arms, a woman's torso, a body, and a demon head. The bottom half remained blob-like. On the head, a face-with two blank burning red eyes and a mouth with long dripping fangs-materialized. Diamond gasped for air. Her heart was screaming. Things like this had no right to exist outside of nightmares. The two Screamer Demons charged at the second floor where they stood. All of the girls leapt away just as they crashed into it, showering glass and concrete everywhere. All landed on the floor with a "THUMP!" "Ow." Topaz muttered, swaying to her feet and glaring at the Screamers, eyes blazing. "Evil ugly little-" The Screamers turned and whirled back for another assault. "Run!" Garnet cried, preparing to flee. Diamond caught her arm. "No need to, Shellie." She whispered. "Look at Topaz." Garnet looked. Topaz's eyes were not just blazing now. They were glowing an incredibly bright yellow. A breeze flew through the air, sifting and weaving towards her. "BRIGHT WHIRLWIND." The wind became tangible, swiftly sifting through the air, cool and light. Sparks began to rapidly fling themselves around Topaz as her eyes shone radiantly and her hair was tossed about. ".GUST!!!!!" The sparks in the breeze sharpened and grew brighter. The wind picked up, tossing around. Suddenly the wind and the sparks flew at the oncoming Screamers. It hit one head-on. The demon let out a shrieking cry as half of its body was blown away by the attack. The sparks whirled, faded, and then vanished. Topaz beamed at the others. "I did it! We've all got our attacks now!!" Diamond smiled at her. "Indeed we do. Now duck." "Duck?" Topaz asked, puzzled. "Why-?" "DO IT!" Diamond roared, falling to her knees and knocking Topaz's legs out from under her. Topaz gasped as a Screamer flew overhead, moving so quickly that she would have been propelled into a wall by the force of its motion. "Wow. Thanks, Diamond." Diamond quickly stood up. "No thanks needed. Just immediately obey next time, okay?" "All right." Topaz said with a brisk nod. The Screamer was on them again. The girls scattered in different directions. "BLACK FEAR SWARM!!" Obsidian cried, aiming at the injured Screamer who had joined its partner in the charge. The Screamer let out a wail even worse than the one before. Slowly it melted into the ground, wailing all the time, dissolving into a loose blob that evaporated into a thin wisp of foul-smelling black smog. "Bye-bye baddie." Amethyst remarked, grinning at Obsidian. "Two shots is it, huh?" Obsidian asked, giving the rapidly vanishing trail of smoke a triumphant look. "Seriously not much." "Be grateful." Emerald suggested. "These things don't seem that hard, though plenty freaky." "Yeah," Topaz agreed. "Totally-OW!" The other Screamer had been forgotten, and had snuck up on them, hitting Topaz on her shoulder. With a cry, she dropped, cradling her limb. A strange black gooey-ness had bee left on her shoulder. As the scouts watched in horror, it began to expand, flowing up and down Topaz's arm towards her hand and neck. "DIAMOND!" Topaz screamed. "Everlasting Love-Purify!" Diamond shouted, pointing at the glop. The blob of blackness let out a screech as it evaporated, leaving Topaz's skin with a red-raw look before it too quickly faded under the gentle healing light. Diamond sighed and sat down. Healing is tiring, she thought to herself. I hope I won't have to attack- Her eyes fell on Damon, and she gasped. The salesclerk's head was tilted back, and Damon was locked with her in a kiss. Ignoring a slight pang of jealousy, Diamond slowly got up, sneaking her way close. She gasped again when she saw tiny veins of light blue shuddering along the girl's skin to her mouth. The light seemed to be coming from her very body. As she watched, the light blue light collected at her mouth, and then disappeared into Damon's. The realization hit her in a jolt: the light blue light was the girl's energy. And Damon was sucking the life from her. Tiredness forgotten, anger blazing through her, Diamond began to sprint towards the two hovering figures. Timing herself perfectly, she launched into a long leap at Damon. The girl was knocked out of Damon's arms at the force of her blow, and fell down to the floor, landing in a small, but fortunately deep, fountain. Diamond crashed into Damon. He lost whatever it was that held him in the air, and both plummeted to the ground. Diamond winced as she hit, but she had instead landed on something soft. She looked up-and straight into Damon's burning eyes. She had landed on him, and both sat extremely still. She quivered slightly, fear welling in her throat. What was it about this man's look that terrified so? She had felt afraid with Jedin and Uther, but Damon sent a icy claw of fear straight to her heart. * * * When he had began to suck the energy from the human girl's body, Damon had nearly shuddered with delight. It was as he had hoped: the humans were full of energy. The power that leaked from the girl into him almost made him giddy with strength. Then he had been knocked out of the air, his victim falling down to the ground to land in some sort of indoor pool. His concentration on hovering had been lost, and he too had fallen, the person who had attacked him plummeting also, just slightly above him. Quickly, he had partially recovered his hovering, just enough to cushion his landing. Even so, he winced when he hit, and then winced again as a heavy weight landed on his lap. He glared up at the interrupter's eyes. The interrupter's very blue, very bright eyes. The Sailor Senshi leader-Diamond, that was her name-stared back at him, defiant but tense. He thought he saw fear behind her eyes, but he couldn't make sure.He slowly took a long, slow sniff of the air. Diamond's scent came to him in a whirl of perfume. The girl herself smelled like wildflowers, and fresh mountain air, cool and pure. Deeply mixed in this was the spicy, sweet smell of magic, of power. And, underneath all this, there was the tangible essence of fear that made it even more delicious. Damon drank her scent in, intoxicated. The blood pounded through his veins, bringing adrenaline and pure instinct. Without his bidding, his teeth began to sharpen and grow longer, and he felt his eyes flickering black. He forced his instincts yet. Not yet, he reminded himself. She's quick and strong. Wait for an opportunity.  
  
* * * Diamond stared at Damon's face, trying to steady her fear. She had nearly lost all control when he had sniffed the air, like some predatory animal. Something close to rapture had crossed his face, and for an instant, his teeth glinted like a wolf's, and his eyes flickered to darkness. She was still fighting the instinct to run far away and never look back. She broke Damon's intense gaze to stir, and attempt to stand. Within a split second, Damon's arms had grabbed her and flipped her around, holding her in a tight headlock. She yelled, but swiftly his hand clapped over her mouth. His voice came as a husky whisper. "Don't move, and don't scream, or your story comes to an abrupt end." Diamond stopped shouting and remained perfectly still, body pressed against Damon's. Fear made her tremble slightly, and let out a small whimper. I don't want to die, she thought tearfully to herself. But in this guy's hands, I don't think I really have a choice. A hot breath of air tickled the back of Diamond's neck. She heard Damon exhale slowly, cautiously, carefully. Unwillingly, she felt herself relax. At that very moment, in deathly peril, caught in her captor's arms, she felt more alive than she ever had before. Each slight current of air rippled across her skin. The tip of Damon's nose was touching the back of her head, ever so lightly. Goose bumps rose on her arms. * * * When Diamond had moved, trying to get away, it had been pure adrenaline that had made Damon move, catching her and holding her tightly around her neck. She had started to scream before he had put his hand over her mouth. He didn't want her alerting her friends-one scout dead at a time was enough. More fun that way. More to keep her quiet and still than anything, he hissed, "Don't move, and don't scream, or your story comes to an abrupt end." Except instead of sounding evil and despicable, his voice sounded merely frightening. He wanted to terrify the girl, not just frighten her. A person in pure terror was easier dealt with than just one in fright. In fright they could still think. In terror, they would be frozen. But his warning seemed to have done the trick. Sailor Diamond had tensed up, as stiff as a board against him. She shuddered only once, but a faint soft moan of fright issued from her lips. Damon carefully breathed out against the back of Diamond's neck. Whew. That had done it. Now all he needed to do was reach for his blade on the inside of his cloak- His hand, already halfway to his cloak, paused. Was I this imagination, or was-no, it couldn't be! Sailor Diamond's tenseness had vanished. She almost seemed-relaxed. Goose bumps pricked up on her skin, but she was otherwise very calm. A hot, blazing flame coursed through Damon. He felt overwhelmed, and leaned his head forward slightly to steady himself. What was happening? He felt-warm. At peace. That was impossible, it was his life as a minion to be forever cold. But heat was in him, melting his eyes, warming his hair, his skin. For the first time, he felt a sensation he could not quite place. And he loathed Diamond for it. * * * Diamond had felt the coldness of Damon's skin suddenly grow warm. The heat seemed to travel to her body, filling her with warmth and light. She relaxed even more, enjoying the strange yet pleasant sensation. There was a sudden brilliant flash of light that temporarily blinded Diamond and Damon. Diamond forgot her warning. She cried out. "Diamond!" Several voices chorused. Squinting, Sailor Diamond saw the other Senshi looking at her in horror. The other Screamer had vanished, and a glop of black slime lay on the floor by Sapphire's feet. Something sharp stung the side of Diamond's neck. "Move and she dies." Damon ordered. The Senshi froze. Garnet shook slightly. "What are we going to do?" She whispered to Topaz. Topaz did not reply. She was studying Damon and Diamond intently. Both seemed a little red, and a clear crystalline light was glowing faintly around them. Diamond's hands were on Damon's arm, the one that was around her neck. She was not struggling. A very thin, but very lethal looking silver blade was grazing her neck. Damon's eyes were rapidly flickering between blue and black, and his teeth looked sharp like an animal's. But he did not move. "What's going on between those two?" She muttered to Obsidian. "I don't know." Obsidian said, frowning. "Why isn't Diamond struggling?" "Duh!" Emerald broke in. "She's got a blade to her neck!! Would you move if you were in her place?" Obsidian said nothing, just continued to scrutinize her leader. Diamond trembled, feeling the blade press into her neck a little more. "You're going to kill me, then." She whispered, half to herself. But Damon heard. "Yes, of course. Not this way, of course. Too much wasted energy." "Ah. Of course. My mistake." Sailor Diamond said sarcastically. "So you'll suck out my energy and then I'll die?" "That's the major plan." Damon agreed, pressing the blade in a little more as Sailor Sapphire edged forward slightly. Sailor Diamond yelped as the blade pressed in a little too deep. It went just into her skin. She felt a bead of blood well up on her neck. Damon glanced down-and saw her blood trickling down her neck from the cut her had made. His teeth grew even sharper, and his eyes changed all the way to black. He didn't try to stop them this time. He could almost see the bright energy in that one drop. He slowly licked his lips. Sailor Diamond knew very clearly when he had changed to the animalistic form. She felt darkness radiating at the back of her neck. She could almost see Damon's teeth elongating and sharpening. Very carefully, and very quietly, she began to whisper. "Golden..Halo." Damon's head moved towards her neck. He smelt her scent again, filling him. His teeth glinted and he opened his mouth- "ATTACK!!!!" Diamond screeched, thrusting her hands at Damon's head as fast as she could. He barely dodged the spinning golden disc that flew up at his face suddenly. In his confusion, Diamond slipped from his grasp. He growled in anger, and put up an electric blue shield as the halo came around again. It shattered, leaving golden light flowing everywhere. Sailor Diamond ran straight into Topaz in her fright. Topaz grabbed her, and Diamond screamed, clawing at her. "Diamond! Di-ow! Diamond! It's Topaz! It's me!" Sailor Diamond stopped fighting and looked at Topaz. "Topaz?" She murmured. "Oh, God." Sailor Topaz gave her friend a hug as Diamond let out a strangled sob. "Shhh." Topaz comforted. "Don't cry now, Diamond. We still have to defeat this guy." Sailor Diamond gulped and nodded, wiping her eyes. "You're right, Topaz. Let's get him." Obsidian came up and gave her a sideways hug. "We were worried 'bout you, Diamond." She chided, grinning. Diamond grinned, then grunted as Garnet rammed into her stomach. "Oof- Garnet!" "Sorry." Garnet said, hugging her fiercely. "But YOU SCARED ME!!!!" Diamond patted her head with a laugh. "Watch it guys!" Amethyst called, pointing at Damon. Damon let loose a large blast of energy at the group. As one, they leapt back up to the second floor. "This guy's good." Diamond muttered to her Senshi. "I think he's stronger than Uther and Jedin-watch it!" Another blast shook the floor and left a huge crater close to where they were standing. Obsidian was closest to the edge. She wavered, teetering, flailing her arms. "Obsidian!" Sapphire cried reaching for her- Too late. Obsidian's balance was gone. With a shriek, she plummeted down towards the mall's marble floor. Diamond was sick, she couldn't do anything. Obsidian clawed at the air as she fell down and down. This is it! She thought in desperation. I'm a dead cookie. The ground loomed up in front of her- Obsidian closed her eyes- And very abruptly, her descent ended. Obsidian opened her eyes to find she was still about four feet above the floor. She looked up. Smoky silver eyes peered down at her from a mask-covered face. Silvery strands of hair flowed around the owner's face. Obsidian felt herself tremble. "Um-thank you." She said, blushing. "Could you put me down?" The person who had caught her chuckled, and gently put her on her feet. Obsidian swayed slightly, the effects of near-death still on her, then she looked her rescuer up and down. He was tall, and well built from what she could see, though a silver tuxedo covered most of his muscles. A silver top hat rested on his hair that came down into a long ponytail. His eyes held her in place. She smiled up at him, shaking still a little. The man put out a hand to steady her. "Are you all right?" He asked. He has a nice voice, Obsidian thought dreamily. Warm and mellow, nice to listen to. From above on the second floor, Sailor Diamond watched this exchange. Obsidian's face had a dreamy, surreal look to it. The man's face was hidden behind a mask. I wonder.She thought. Could this guy be our Tuxedo Mask? "Hey!" She called. The man looked up. "Yes?" He asked. "Um-" Diamond laughed nervously. "Uh, I don't mean to pry or anything- well, actually I do. Who are you? What's your name?" The man grinned. "Call me Tuxedo Onyx." Diamond smiled in relief. "Oh, goody! We get a Tuxedo-guy." The man grinned. "Now that the touching introductions are over." Damon said snippily. "May we please commence-" "Excuse me." Emerald said indignantly. "But you are intruding on a very pleasant conversation, so now, do shut up." She turned and beamed at Tuxedo Onyx. "I'm Sailor Emerald!" "Pleased to meet you." Tuxedo Onyx said with a slight wave. "I'm Obsidian." Sailor Obsidian said, with a slight blush. "Sailor Obsidian." "A true pleasure." Tuxedo Onyx said, giving her a bow. Her flush deepened. "Topaz." "Sapphire." "Garnet." "Amethyst." "And I'm Sailor Diamond." Diamond said with a salute. "Leader of the Jewel Senshi." The man blinked. "You're the leader?" His eyes strayed to Obsidian. "But I thought she was-" "Oh, no." Obsidian stammered, embarrassed. Of course this hot guy wouldn't like her. "I'm just a fighter." Tuxedo Onyx shrugged and grinned. "You looked pretty enough to be an angel, anyway. I figured you must be the leader." Obsidian practically swooned, then held herself in check. Suspicion was creeping slightly through her veins. The guy was slick with words and possibly dangerous. "Nah." She said with a slightly more brittle smile. "Just a fighter." "No more introductions." Damon said with a scolding tongue. "And you-" He pointed at Tuxedo Onyx. "Since you were the one who interrupted this little battle, I think you'll be the one to pay for it." "Oh, by the way, this is Damon!" Diamond called down to Tuxedo Onyx. "He's a bad guy." "I figured." Tuxedo Onyx replied tensely, watching Damon. He slowly drew out a long silver cane from somewhere in his cloak. The air rippled, and a long, glittering black sword appeared in the air by Damon. It was thin, but the edges glinted razor sharp. He pointed it at Tuxedo Onyx. Sailor Diamond watched tensely, mirth gone. She was judging the distance for a jump. She knew very clearly-as did every other scout-that sword could cut right through the cane. The two men faced off. Neither spoke nor moved for several seconds. Then, when Damon was about to lunge- "AH!" Topaz yelled, pointing upwards. "It's a two headed, mangy, ugly, horrific, blood-puking, demonic dragon!!!" Both men looked up to an empty ceiling. "GO!" Topaz whispered, giving Diamond a slight nudge. Diamond stared at her friend. "How did you know-" "Never mind that! Go!" Diamond nodded, and flung herself over the railing at Damon. This time, the shock of the impact was not softened. She crashed straight into him, knocking the wind out of both. Diamond moaned in pain on the hard floor, back screaming with pain. Something was definitely not right. She was twisted at a funny angle. Gasping, she straightened on the floor, and carefully examined her back with her hands, wincing. One joint was out of alignment. When she touched it, fiery pain lanced across her body. "Everlasting Love Purify." She whispered, touching the stray bone. Her pain extended, swelled till she cried out, then vanished. She looked at Damon. His arm was at the wrong angle, twisted 180 degrees. She stared as he calmly snapped his arm back into place and socket. "Didn't that hurt?" She asked in astonishment. Damon's dark blue eyes looked up. "What concern is it of yours?" "Well, ex-cuse me!" Diamond said, miffed. "It did hurt." Damon said, matter-of-factly. "An awful lot, in fact. If I were a mortal wimp, I might be crying in pain by now." Diamond ground her teeth, sensing the insult behind the words. "Shut it, creep." Damon smiled. A harsh wind picked up. It was not cool and soothing like Topaz's attack, but hot and dry, lashing Diamond's body. Sand seemed to prick the back of her legs. Damon was glowing a dark shade of blue, very faintly, but it was growing steadier. He was gaining power. Diamond nervously edged away. Guys, she whispered in her mind, not expecting any answer. We're in trouble. I need help. Up on the second floor, Garnet gasped, swayed, and nearly fell off the balcony, barely being caught by Amethyst and Emerald. In her mind, very faintly and softly, she had heard Diamond's call. Diamond! She screamed in her head in excitement. You can use psycho- kinesis?! You can talk through minds?! And I thought I was the only one- Diamond let out a cry-half in pain, half in shock- as Garnet's voice boomed in her head, loud and clear. Garnet!! My God, is that really you?! Could you be a little quieter? I'm almost mind-deaf. Sorry. Garnet replied, straining to hear her. But I'm excited!! I thought I was the only one who could do this- What do you mean, you thought you were the only one? Diamond asked suspiciously. God, this is weird- You-you didn't know you could do this? Garnet asked hesitantly. "Hey? Hello!" Sapphire said, waving her hand energetically up and down in front of Garnet's blank eyes. "Hello in there!! Yo! Garnet!" "I don't think the owner's in right now, Sapphire." Emerald told her. "Then where is she?!" Sapphire said, upset. "Wait a minute-" Obsidian said, staring hard at Garnet's eyes and hands (she had leapt up to join them on the balcony). "She's-glowing." All looked and gasped. Garnet's face and hands were indeed glowing a deep red, but it was very faint, so little you could only see it if you knew what to look for. Diamond's eyes were glowing too, but her glow was even harder to see at first. Then it began to grow brighter. What do you mean, I didn't know how to do this?! Diamond shouted, voice much clearer. I only figured it out now!!! What, have you been doing it all your life?!? For a long while, yes. Garnet snapped, injured. I have been since I turned 10. I thought I was going nuts. If you are, I am. Diamond replied crossly. But I don't think we are. I think this is a special ability, a power. Then how come I've had it so long? You're the Scout of Fire and Psycho-kinesis, I believe Lune said. Diamond said calmly. She saw Garnet blinking. Slowly a vision of her was beginning to form in her mind. So-it's natural? Garnet asked hopefully. I should think so. YAHOO!!!!!!!! Garnet yelled, deafening Diamond's mind again. The other scouts shivered as a peculiar energy was felt by them, radiating from Garnet. I'm not crazy!! I'm not insane!!!! It's really happening!!! "CHILL!!" Diamond yelled out loud. "Sorry!" Garnet yelled back. "I'm just so excited!! You don't know how long I thought I was insane!" "And you're right!" Obsidian bellowed. "The both of you are nuts!! What on Earth were you doing?!?!" "Speaking telepathically." Damon said, sounding very amused. Diamond glared at him in surprise. "How do you know?" "I must say, your talk was extremely loud." Damon said smoothly. "I could hear it from meters away. Always signs of beginners." "You obviously should know." Diamond muttered. "You question my power, Child of Opal?" Damon asked pleasantly, but there was a dangerous look in his eyes. "Perhaps you'd like to see my power for yourself?" Obsidian saw this. "Be careful, Angie." She quavered under her breath. "He's leading you into a trap." Diamond stood very straight and glared at him. "I should be honored." She pronounced, sarcastic honor dripping from every word. The wind was still rushing through the mall. Damon's eyes grew blacker and blacker. Dark lightning bolts zigzagged across the mall's ceiling, splintering when they hit obstacles. Then they began to crawl down the walls, centered at Diamond. She stood very still, eyes narrowed, assessing the situation as the dark energy began to creep along the floor. She could not escape, she knew that clear enough. Unless she wanted to try a very long jump.It was either that or wait for one of the bolts to strike her. Neither option seemed very appealing. I'll see how much the energy hurts me. She decided. If I can stand it, maybe I can hit Damon before it hurts my friends. If it hurts too bad, I'll get up to the second floor and out of here. If it kills me-well, then I'm dead. That's simple enough, at least. She waited in apprehension as the energy zoomed towards her. Seconds before it would have touched her, the bolts froze. She looked up at Damon. "What's the deal?!" Damon stared at her, eyes black and narrowed. "Aren't you going to cry? Scream? Beg for your life?" Diamond snorted. "Do I look like a wimp? No way, pal. Find some other form of entertainment. Go maim some puppies or something." Then: "On second thought, don't." "Perhaps I have underestimated humans." Damon said to himself. "More than likely." Diamond said cheerfully. "We're an interestingly diverse species." The dark bolts seemed to hesitate, then they shrunk and folded back on themselves, disappearing. The blackness vanished from Damon's eyes. "Consider that a warning." He directed. "What?!" Diamond objected. "Do you think I'm not tough enough or something? Come on! I'll take you!" "I do not think you aren't tough." Damon said, turning away. "In fact," he glanced back, "just the opposite." Sailor Diamond stared at him. Admiration had been one thing she hadn't expected from a general. "Um-okay." She faltered. "Thank you-I think." "No need to thank me, it wasn't a compliment." Damon said brusquely. "Just a fact." "Thank you anyway." She answered. He snorted and turned away. But Diamond thought she heard a faint, "You're welcome" as dark blue bands of energy swirled around him in a circle. The energy shot up to form a black column, and then it blew away into nothingness. Damon was gone. Diamond sighed, then fell over with a thud. When she gained consciousness, she found Amethyst glaring down at her. "Would you mind warning us when you're going to faint?!" She chided, making a mock frown. "So sorry." Diamond said, grinning and sitting up. "Where are we?" "Still in the mall." Emerald butted in. "You've only been out a few seconds." Tuxedo Onyx peered around Obsidian's shoulder. "You had us worried there for a moment, leader." He said with a slight chuckle. She smiled at him. "Will you join us? Become part of our team?" Tuxedo Onyx sighed. "I wish I could, but I think it's safer for all of us if we remain apart and fight in different groups." His cape swirled as he turned away. "I'll always be close, though." He called over his shoulder. "There will never be a battle where I'm not at least watching to see you all fight. I'll guard you all always." Obsidian watched as the man trotted away to the outside world, leapt up, supposedly to the top of the roof, and vanished from their sight. She sighed. "We'll see him again." Diamond told her quietly. Obsidian smiled a little sadly. "I hope so." "Wow!" Sapphire cried. "A second enemy and battle gone! Go us!" Diamond smiled. "A very scary enemy this time." "Agreed." Topaz said. "Creepy dark person. Very hot though. You were lucky to be in his arms, Diamond." Sailor Diamond thought back to Damon's dark sad eyes and black hair. "Yes." She said wistfully. "I was." 


	8. Katrina comes! The Third Battle commenc...

Chapter Four  
  
Damon was flung back across the dark, cold marble room, half his face torn off. It quickly reappeared, fully healed, but he scowled at Ithengil. "High Priest, you have no right to take your anger out on me!" Ithengil snarled, "I have every right, Damon!! I trust to send you to Earth, and you failed! All of you!" He roared, looking now at Uther and Jedin. "It seems all your skills have rusted! On other planets, all the life energy would be gone by now! It would be a husk! You've gotten used to easiness! Now, when a slightly more difficult planet comes up, you all tremble and break like babies!" Jedin slung an arm over Damon's shoulder. "It's not all our fault!" He defended. "You should have prepared us, oh great High Priest! You should have told us we were coming to the place with the ones who bested us all those years ago." "You should have figured it out." Uther snapped. "I side with Ithengil. The energy of this place is great-terribly, wonderfully great-but we should have collected more than a few drops by now!" "Blame those-girls-for it, sir." Jedin snipped. "If you had just taken some initiative, they could be dead by now. Instead you sit here on your fat-" Ithengil pointed his long black staff at Jedin. "Watch.your.tongue." He dictated slowly. "Or I swear by the Lady I will make you eat it." There was silence for a moment as the two glared at each other. Jedin broke the stare first and turned away. Ithengil clutched at his staff and muttered something. Jedin went flying to strike a marble pillar. It crashed and crumbled into boulders, with Jedin underneath. The boulders were flung away, and Jedin stood there, blazing with energy and hatred. "Oooh, guys!" A high-pitched squeal rang out as a young woman of medium height walked into the hall. She was very nicely built, and had pretty red hair than jetted out in short wavy spikes. Her skin had pink tints in it, making her look much like an apple. But her eyes were a ginger color, and cold as ice. The same blackness pricked hers as it did the others'. "Damon, you're back!" She cried. "Is it my turn?! Do I get to go to Opal?!" "Shut up, Katrina." Ithengil said crossly. I'm not in the mood to deal with your stupidity right now." Katrina blinked at him, then her eyes began to fill with tears. "B-but, I was j-just trying t-t-to heeeeeeeelp!!" She ended in an ear-splitting wail that resounded through the halls. Jedin clapped his hands to his ears and rocked back and forth in agony. "Cursed Diamond, will you shut her up?!?!?!" He roared at Ithengil. "You made her start it!" Ithengil ground his teeth. "Damon!" He yelled desperately. "You make her be quiet!!" Damon made his way over and gingerly patted Katrina on the back. She immediately wrapped octopus-like arms around his neck and proceeded to strangle him. "Oh, Damon!" She sniffed. "I w-was just t-trying to h-help and Ith-Ithengil was being so mean-" She began to warble away again. "Ask her what she wants?!?!" Ithengil roared. "Anything! Just make her shut up!" "Um-honey?" Damon asked hesitantly (Katrina immediately shut up after hearing that). "What do you want to do to help?" Katrina gave a prolonged sniff, even though any signs of crying had rapidly disappeared. "I wanna go to Opal! I wanna have some fun with the humans there!" Damon shrugged at Ithengil, who shuddered. "W-well, my dear." He said carefully. "It's a bit dangerous and it might be safer for you to remain here-not that we don't value you!" This last part was said in desperation, but it was too late. Katrina was wailing again. "You're so mean!" She quavered. "N-not letting a poor girl such as m- myself have any fun!!" "Girl?" Jedin commented. "You're over ten thousand years old!!" "So?" Katrina shot back. "You're older than I am!" Then she remembered she was supposed to be unhappy, and she began whimpering again. "Uh, I-I mean- WAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!" "SHUT UP!" Ithengil ordered desperately, waving his arms at Katrina. "Please! Please! You'll wake the Lady-" WHO DARES TO DISTURB MY SLUMBER? Katrina stopped screaming and was silenced, completely cowed. Each one of the generals had frozen stock stiff. "Now she's done it." Jedin whispered in Damon's ear. "How do you think she'll be punished?" "Death, probably." Damon murmured back, watching Katrina without pity. Katrina was not moving and scarcely breathing. She let out a tiny squeak of fear as a dark silhouette issued out in a black smoke from the altar. SO, KATRINA. A horrible voice boomed. YOU ARE GETTING TOO NOISY. I NEED MY REST, DO YOU UNDERSTAND? The voice was surprisingly good-natured and sleepy-sounding. Katrina squeaked and nodded her head. GOOD. I HOPE WE WILL NOT NEED TO HAVE THIS TALK AGAIN, OR SOMEONE WILL DIE. NOW GO GATHER ME ENERGY. I.AM.WEAK.. The voice vanished and the shadow dissipated. Katrina gave a slight gasp and fell to her knees. "Thank you, O Wonderful One." She quavered. "Thank you for this unworthy one's life." She fell into a series of guttural praises. Ithengil sighed. "I believe it is our Lady's wish that you should gather energy for her, Katrina." He proclaimed. "YIPPEE!!" Katrina shrieked, breaking both the decibel scale and everyone's eardrums. "I'll show you guys! I'll deal with whatever's down there, and finally conquer my first planet all by my myself!!" * * * Lacie pounded the heavy punching bag with her uncovered fists, wincing every time she did so. She turned around to give it a side kick, then rammed her whole force into it. The punching bag flew up, then came flying back. The momentum hit Lacie, and she went hurtling away to land on some mats. "Woo-hee!" She screeched, bouncing back up. "That was fun!" Rachelle and Elisha looked at her with sweat drops. "Didn't that hurt?" Elisha inquired. "Nope!" Lacie said cheerfully. "It was fun! Can I do it again?" Lune peered over her clipboard at Lacie. "No, Ame-Lacie. It's Angie's turn now." Angie eyed the punching bag nervously as she stepped up to it. Hesitantly, she gave it a little push. The punching bag swung back and forth slightly. Then, without warning, Angela swung a full 360 degrees to give it a monstrous kick. The punching bag flew up in the air and came back, where she proceeded to pepper it with blows. "Good, Angie!" Lune said enthusiastically. "Um, Angie-honey, you can stop- Ang-kid-Angela?-DIAMOND!!!" Angie stopped killing the punching bag to look at her. "What?" "It's Rachelle's turn now, dear." Lune said nervously, eyeing the rips and tears that both Lacie and Angie had brought to the thing. Rachelle paled. "Um, Lune, I'd love to beat the crap out of the evil punching bag, believe me. But-well, we all have a thing called school. And right now, we're going to be late, as it's 8:25." There was a pause as everyone considered this. "EIGHT TWENTY-FIVE!!!?!?!" Elisha, Angie, Lacie, and Malorie all shrieked at the same time. "WE ARE GOING TO BE SOOOOOO LATE!!!!!" There was a miniature stampede as each girl ran for the door. Lune was left sitting dazed in a cloud of dust. Rachelle was the last out. "See you later, Lune!" She called back. "What about your training?!" Lune screeched. "Later!" And then the door slammed. They were gone. Lune stared after the rapidly disappearing dust cloud and sighed. "If only they'd care that much about their training." She muttered, turning to the computer to try to update resources. * * * Angela flung herself down at a lunch table a few hours later and glared sulkily at her sandwich. "Jerk of a Vice Principal." She muttered, giving the schools' declared Neo Nazi Vice Principal a glare. "Hey, Angie!" Mary and Lacie had come up bearing trays. "Don't talk to me, I'm pissed off." Angie grouchily told them. "Obviously." Mary raised with a raised eyebrow. "What happened?" "Nazi Nichols busted on me for being late." Angela told her grumpily. "Would have given me lunch detention but some psychos decided to try to summon a demon and he got waylaid." "He's a jerk." Lacie agreed, setting her tray next to Angie's lunch box. "But don't let him get to you." "I'll get to him if he gives me lunch detention." Angela snapped. "That jerk!" "Who?" Elisha asked, coming up with Malorie and Marisa; the latter having a tray, the two former lunch boxes. "Nichols." Mary told her. "Apparently he got Angie a few minutes late." Marisa winced. "The guy thinks he's, like, God of Security or something. It's annoying." "Yes." Angela fumed. There was a shout of "Guys!" and Rachelle immediately flung herself into the group. She was radiant, and positively beaming with joy. "I'm so glad I found you all!" She gushed. "I want everyone to meet Kyle!!" "Kyle?" Lacie asked blankly as Rachelle darted away again. "Her boyfriend." Elisha said with a roll of her eyes. "How could you have forgotten?" Rachelle was back almost immediately, dragging a tall dark-haired man by the arm. Angela felt her eyes pop out of her head as she looked him up and down. From long purple-black hair to purple eyes, the guy was a serious hunk. "No wonder Rachelle loves him." She muttered to Malorie, who nodded vigorously. Rachelle gave the guy a hug. "Guys, this is my boyfriend. Kyle, meet Angie, Malorie, Marisa, Mary, Lacie, and Elisha!" Kyle blinked at the six girls who gave him half-waves. "I'll figure out who's who later." He said with a grin as he sat by Malorie with Rachelle on his other side. "So, how'd Rachelle manage to snag you?" Mary directly inquired. Kyle gave a slow dreamy smile that Rachelle-and every other girl within a five foot radius-immediately start drooling. "She didn't snag me. I snagged her." He ruffled her hair slightly, and Rachelle kissed him on the cheek, eyes like stars. "Jeez!" Elisha muttered to Angela. "Talk about infatuation!! These two are completely gaga!!" Angie nodded in agreement. "Heads up!" A football came flying out of the sky and landed in Mary's wormy-looking spaghetti. Tomato sauce splattered everywhere, particularly on Elisha's glasses and white blouse. She screamed and looked up, eyes blazing. Angela felt herself wondering if she would fire an attack in the middle of the cafeteria. A blond and his two friends were laughing from across the cafeteria. "Hey, toss it here, sweet-face!" The blond called. "If you can throw it that far!" "I'll show you, you pig!" Elisha muttered blackly, leaning back and letting the football fly. It went zooming through the air, all the way across the cafeteria, where it imbedded itself in the blond boy's head. He hit the ground with a yelp of surprise. "Yes!" Angela cheered, slapping Elisha's hand. "Way to go, Sapp-Elisha!" Elisha smiled jauntily and tossed her hair. "Oh, well." She said modestly. "Hey, blue-freak!" Marisa dug an elbow into Elisha's back. "Elisha, your boyfriends are here!" She muttered. "Huh?" Elisha turned to see the guy she had beaned with the ball and his two friends coming at her. "Oh, my God!" Malorie quietly wailed behind her. "Of all people to go and nail with a football, you choose Chase!!!" "Chase?" Marisa asked Lacie. "Most popular guy in school." Lacie replied tensely. "As jocky and beef- brained as they come, but plenty powerful." Chase shoved a blond locks out of his eyes and looked down at Elisha, calmly but pointedly tossing the football up and down. Each girl gulped, but Angela stood straighter and glared at him. "May we help you, Chase?" Chase looked down at her. "Was I talking to you?" He asked snootily, then he frowned. "Oh, the class reader. Why are you choosing to hang with our local gang of freaks, now?" Angela eyed him coldly. "What business is it of yours? And these are NOT freaks. They're my friends. Diss them, and you never copy off my homework again." "She has the supreme authority." Mary whispered to Malorie, who smothered a giggle. Chase eyed her for a moment before turning away. "Our quarrel's not with you." "It's with the blue-haired freaky girl." One of the two beefy boys huffed. In a flash, both Lacie and Angie had the guy by the throat and had hauled him down to the ground. The beefy boy choked as Lacie glared at him. "I know you!" She roared angrily. "You're the guy who was in charge of that mob a few days ago!! You jerk! You tried to kill us!" The boy gurgled, frantically trying to knock her arm away. "Um, I think you're choking him, Lacie." Rachelle said hesitantly. "Who cares?" Lacie snapped. "This little piece of filth-" Chase angrily bent down and with surprising strength, broke Lacie's hold on his friend. Lacie spluttered at him in anger. "Let me go!" She growled. "Not until you promise not to attack my friend again." Chase told her smugly. "Why shouldn't she?" Elisha asked, stepping forward. She seemed to have grown in height and stature, and looked up at Chase. "He attacked us, not us him. I think it right he get his just desserts." Chase looked down at the tiny fury of person. "Chill." He ordered. "I'll deal with him in due time. I've come to deal with you and your targeting of my stomach." "You deserved what you got!" Elisha yelled. The cafeteria went silent, but Elisha continued. "You're a stuck-up, beef- brained, idiotic, thick-skulled lamebrain who wouldn't recognize an idea if it tap-danced in front of him and bit his nose!" Chase seemed stunned for a moment by these accusations. Then, slowly, a smile creased his face. "Sorry, my lady." He whispered mockingly. "I'll leave you and your friends to enjoy your lunch." With that and a sarcastic bow, he sauntered away, his two friends following him. Elisha waited till he had crossed to the opposite side of the cafeteria before sinking into a seat. A few scattered rounds of applause were heard, then everyone returned to their lunch. "Wait to go, Elisha!" Angie cheered softly. "Way to tell that stuck-up jock!" Mary said patting her back. "Don't think we'll have any more problems concerning him!" Marisa said cheerfully. "Oh, yes, we will." Elisha said quietly, almost exhaustedly. All the girls stopped chatting to look at her. "Why, Elisha?" Malorie asked. Elisha looked down at her clenched hands. "I think I just fell in love with him." BOOM!!! Screams suddenly filled the cafeteria. One of the lunch line doors had been blown backwards off its hinges by some explosion. Smoke was billowing out of the kitchens. "Looks like the lunch ladies had an accident again." Lacie said. Angie closed her eyes and raised her head. "No," She whispered. "On your guard, scouts. I sense something evil here." At the word "evil" everyone's faces fell. "Already?" Malorie moaned. "But it's barely been a day!!" "Guess they're getting more worried about us." Rachelle said, tensely glancing around. "What's wrong, Shellie?" Mary asked her. "The evil's right here in the cafeteria with us!" Each of the girls gasped and looked around. Nothing seemed particularly out of the ordinary at first, but then- Angela shrieked suddenly, and pointed to Lacie's tray. "Is it just me, or is the cafeteria food GLOWING?!?!?!" Lacie stared down at her food in horror. A faint green light could be seen radiating from the pile of greasy French fries and hamburger. "Ewww!" She screeched, frantically wiping her tongue. "I can't believe I ate that!! Gross, gross, gross!" Malorie gagged. "Man, am I ever regretting stealing a fry off your plate, Mary!" "You did WHAT?!?!" Mary said angrily. "I hadn't even touched any of it yet!" "And that's a good thing!" Marisa said, going pale and edging her tray away. "Do you think it's going to make us sick?" "More than that." Rachelle said, looking sick herself. "That food's radiating some seriously bad vibes. I'd reckon it will affect anyone who ate it." "Oh, man." Lacie whispered. "D-do you think it will kill us or drain our energy or make us ill with cancer or typhus or-" "Calm down." Angela said, though her voice shook. "Nothing's happened yet. We don't know for sure if it will affect you three. After all, you are Jewel-" Marisa groaned and slumped to the floor, rubbing her stomach. "Oh, man!" She groaned. "Talk about a stomachache! Jeez." She bit her lip and screwed her eyes up in pain. Lacie shuddered, rubbing her own tummy. Very slowly, her knees gave way, till she was on the floor next to Marisa, gasping. All around the cafeteria people were falling to their knees, gasping in pain. People who had brought lunches from home were looking at them in amazement and fear. Malorie fell last, struggling to keep to her feet, but eventually sliding to the floor, crying from the stress and the pain. "Not good." Mary said, helplessly watching as Lacie writhed in agony. "Um, excuse me?" Angela jumped, she had forgotten about Kyle. He gave her a half wave. "I don't mean to be rude, but what the hell is happening, and why are you all talking about evil?" Angela laughed pathetically as she elbowed Rachelle. "He's your boyfriend, do something!" She hissed. Rachelle immediately turned on all her charm. She approached Kyle with wide eyes. Angela saw his suspicious look slipping. "Oh, Kyle, we were just playing a little game!" Rachelle cooed, snuggling under her boyfriend's arm. "It's just so weird that everyone would drop like this." She brought her hand to her mouth in mock horror. "You don't think they're poisoned? Oh, I feel faint!" She swooned. "She's quite an actor." Mary whispered to Elisha, who agreed. Kyle was completely fooled by the act. "You feel all right?" He asked, concerned. "Look, don't move, I'll get some water from the water fountain, okay? Just hang on!" With that he ran off. Rachelle straightened to the applause of the others. "It was nothing." She said modestly. "Now how about we figure out what's happen-" A high pitched giggle resounded through the air, interrupting Rachelle. Angela clapped her hands over her ears. "Good lord!" She gasped. "What on earth-" "Look!" Mary said, pointing. A red-haired girl was floating near the top of the cafeteria, laughing merrily. "Oh, this is working great!" She giggled. "All these people down! Ooh, when I show Jedin and Ithengil all the hard work I've done-" "Jedin?" Elisha gasped. "Definitely a bad guy." "Let's move it!" Angela ordered. "Transform under the tables!" "What about them?" Rachelle asked, pointing to Lacie, Malorie, and Marisa. "We can't leave them like this!" Malorie grabbed Rachelle's hand and grasped it tight. "Go!" She gasped. "Fight! That's probably the only way to cure us! Defeat her!" Rachelle hesitated, then squeezed Malorie's hand and nodded. "Okay." "Come on!" Angela ordered, not unkindly. Rachelle briskly slid underneath their table, praying that the rather bright lights of their transformations would go unnoticed in the confusion and panic. "Diamond Star Power-" "Obsidian Star Power-" "Garnet Star Power-" "Sapphire Star Power-" "MAKE UP!!!" The bright light that filled the cafeteria, blinding all those in it, was too much for the panic-stricken people who had not been infected. Most ran away screaming. Very few stood by their injured friends. Katrina let out a high-pitched squeal. "Ah!! Too bright! Pain! No more light! Where's it coming from?" She squinted around. "The cafeteria food is disgusting enough without evil slime-balls like you using it to collect energy!" A voice announced from nearby. Katrina squinted down, and gasped. "Oh, no." "YOU'RE A SAILOR SCOUT!!!" Eardrums being completely blown out after the red-haired woman's scream, Sailor Diamond did her best to remain calm. "Uh, yes, I am Sailor Diamond, Scout of Love and Jus..tice." Her voice trailed away as she stared bemusedly at the girl. She was banging her head repeatedly on the top of the cafeteria ceiling. "Oh, drat it, drat it, drat it." She moaned. "And things were going so WELL!! Now some lousy Senshi are going to ruin my lovely time a-and embarrass me in f-front of Ithengil-" She began to wail. "Can you say ow?!" Sailor Obsidian complained. "Jeez! What's she trying to do, deafen us?" "What?" Garnet yelled. "She's crying to threaten us?" "She's dying to wetten us?" Sapphire asked. "Oh boy." Katrina stopped fighting and promptly looked furious. "I'm not going to let you ruin my splendid time here!" She cried, her palms facing them. "I am Katrina, and I was chosen specially for this mission! I won't let Ithengil down!!" "Get ready to dodge." Diamond warned under her breath. Hot pink electricity swarmed down from Katrina's hands. It hit the floor and the earth cracked beneath it. Lightning zigzagged across the floor towards them. The Scouts tensed, ready and eager to fight. Sailor Sapphire clenched her hands into fists. She wanted a good fight. Katrina seemed ditzy. Perhaps they could fool her- She suddenly let out a cry, and dove forward. Sailor Diamond gasped. "Sapphire! What are you-" Then she spotted Chase sitting on the floor by the beefy boy, who had obviously eaten some of the food. He was staring, transfixed, at the oncoming bolts. As if sensing an energy source, the bolts seemed to target him, moving quicker than ever, sliding across the floor. Sailor Sapphire dove at him just as the pink bolts seemed about to strike. She knocked him sideways, out of their immediate path, and sent him sprawling into a wall, with her right behind him. Sapphire drew in her leg as a bolt flashed by, and sighed in relief, glancing over at Chase. Chase had been frozen by the site of the lightning on the floor. It was something out of a nightmare. He had dazedly realized he was going to be hit when something-someone-hurled into him and knocked him into the wall. He gasped as they went by an inch from his head, then stared up at whoever had saved him. His head had hit the wall, so he couldn't be sure, but he was almost positive that an angel was looking down at him. Deep blue eyes, like lakes.soft skin.silky garments. He finally stuttered out. "Who are you?" The figure laughed, a sweet, merry laugh. "Just a friend." She said in a whisper, standing up and jumping away from him. He had half a mind to beg her to come back, when he saw she had only landed a few tables away, with some other girls of different hair color and uniform. "Angels." He muttered dizzily before blacking out. Diamond smiled approvingly at Sapphire as she landed back beside them. "Good job." She said to her. "Now get ready. Those lightning bolts are coming fast, scouts!" Pink light covered the floor just in front of them- "JUMP!" Sailor Diamond screeched. All four leapt into the air to land on another table that the lightning had already passed. The lightning continued on its way, hitting the wall to the cafeteria and disappearing with a "zap!" Up in the air, Katrina wailed. "No! Oh, you weren't supposed to dodge that!" "Which is why we did." Obsidian muttered. "Ooooooh-" Katrina pointed a finger at them and shrieked. "You asked for this! You'll get just what you deserve!" With a only-slightly ditzy evil smile on her face, she continued, "I have been testing this little beauty for several months now. She's very interesting, as I think you'll agree!" A black crystal filled with black goop appeared in her hand, and she lobbed it at the four nervous sailors. * * * "What is that?" Damon asked Jedin. They had been watching Katrina's progress from Ithengil's crystal globe. "She never told us she was working on a new invention-" "That must be a Unum." Jedin said in a low voice. "She bragged to me about it just before she set off. Said that it would quite surprise us." He laughed and straightened, stretching. "Knowing Katrina, it'll probably sing a happy song that will put those brats to sleep." Damon said nothing. He continued to watch what was happening down on Earth apprehensively. Katrina was an idiot, but she a knack for creating new demons. He'd hate to think what that one could possibly do to the new sailors. Actually, he would love it. * * * When the crystal ball shattered on the floor, thick, putrid black smoke sprung out of it and filled the room. Diamond's eyes watered. She ducked below a table, trying to rid herself of the stench and the sting. The others backed into a doorway, where they coughed and squinted around. Slowly the smoke drew together into a horrible demon body that looked somewhat like the two Screamers the girls had fought yesterday. But this demon's eyes were gray with round black irises, and it's form seemed to constantly disintegrate and reform, with no trace of human in it whatsoever. It was just a huge, living sculpture of dark muck. Diamond stared at it in horror. "What is that?" She wondered. "Behold!" Katrina shrieked. "My greatest creation! The Unum!" "Um, okay." Garnet called hesitatingly from the doorway. "But what does it do?" Katrina smiled. "Glad you asked." The Unum suddenly shot out a long, black, mucky tentacle that curled around Diamond's leg. She shrieked in horror as it stuck tight. Slowly the Unum pulled itself towards her. Diamond frantically tried to loosen its horrible grasp on her, but the Unum had simply molded itself around her leg, like a part of her. She could no sooner pull it off her than pull off her own arm. The Unum, with a dreadful ease and nonchalance, pulled itself to melt around her knees. Diamond frantically kicked her legs, screaming and trying to run. But the Unum had her fast. And it would not let her go. Katrina smiled triumphantly. "You can't escape, Senshi-girl! My Unum has never failed to bring down a prey, and I've tested it on all sorts of things. It can expand, shrink, swim, and move as quick as lightning when it wants to. However, when it envelops its prey, it takes its own sweet time. She'll envelope you, you know, and when she's done, you're nothing more than mere food." Sailor Diamond kicked and flailed, shrieking at the horror of the Unum's touch on her skin as it slowly made its way up past her boots. Garnet, Obsidian, and Sapphire watched helplessly. "Do something!" Garnet whispered to Obsidian. "We can't attack! Not without hitting her!" Sailor Obsidian said, hating her weakness. "Hang on, Diamond!" Sapphire called. * * * "I don't believe it." Jedin breathed, staring into the crystal ball at Diamond. "Fan-tastic. That must be the most brilliant thing I've ever seen!" "Who would have guessed Katrina would have discovered it?" Uther said, peering over Jedin's shoulder. Damon said nothing, just watched as the Unum spread upwards, overtaking Diamond. Before he could stop it, an icy terror gripped his heart. Fear was natural for a general, it had always been so. But the look on Diamond's face, of sheer, complete terror, scared him more than he ever knew was possible. He didn't want her to die by Katrina. That was an unworthy death. Better to die by his hand, or Jedin's or Ithengil's. She was a good fighter. She could have become a great warrior. Before he knew it, he found himself thinking, Don't you give up that easily, Sailor Diamond! I owe you a fight!! Do you hear? The honor of killing you will be mine. * * * Diamond let out another shriek as the creature swarmed up her, now past her waist. She flailed her arms, desperately trying to keep the-thing-from covering her completely. The Unum slowly crawled up to her neck, forcing her arms back down to her sides and immobilizing them. Diamond took a deep breath and let out a scream that was abruptly silenced as the Unum covered her mouth. Her scream of undiluted horror was muffled by the Unum's jelly substance. As blood-red slowly covered Diamond's eyes and then head, she let herself drift away into the insanity of pure fear. Garnet screamed as Diamond's head went under the body of that alien thing. She fought Obsidian's grip, straining to get to her friend, to help her in anyway she could. "Diamond." She sobbed. "Oh, Diamond, Diamond, Diamond." Her figure could just be made out through the Unum's gel-like body. She was violently thrashing, but slowly, these contortions stopped. "DIAMOND!" Garnet shrieked. "Quiet!" Sapphire said, voice choked. "Diamond will find a way out! She will! She's got to!" Sailor Diamond floated alone and silent in a dreadful blood-red universe. She couldn't move. She couldn't hear..couldn't see..couldn't' breathe.Her spirit was flickering in and out of life. * * * Jedin hooted in delight. "I don't believe this! Look, she stopped struggling." Damon hardly heard. His heart pounded in his ears, for reasons he did not know. Horrible clear certainty was sharp in his mind. Sailor Diamond was dead, and of an unworthy and truly daunting cause. He sighed. He hated when good rivals died bad deaths. "One down!" Jedin said triumphantly. "You might look more pleased, Damon. The leader of the Jewel Senshi's already dead! It's all downhill from here!" "Wait a moment." Uther murmured, peering intently at the crystal ball. "Wait a moment." Damon turned back, stared, rubbed his eyes, then stared again, hoping he wasn't imagining things. * * * Garnet raised her head from Obsidian's arms at a gasp of air. She stared, then, tears wetting her cheeks, she pulled on a tug of Obsidian's hair. "Look!" Diamond, with a sudden renewed burst of life, was struggling again. She couldn't breath, and her vision was covered by the Unum, but she fought, desperately clawing for air. The Unum covered her even more thickly, trying to drown her. She shrieked as her skin began to burn from it obviously trying to devour her. This had gone far enough. "GOLDEN HALO ATTACK!!!" The Unum squealed as bright light began to make holes in it. It flowed down, dissolving, and Diamond's face appeared, gasping in air. The Unum retreated, smoking, under a table, wailing constantly. Then, with a poof, it vanished. Diamond stood, knees wobbling, fuku torn away at some places, skin red and raw in some parts, looking haggard and exhausted, and wonderfully, wholly, completely alive. "Diamond!" Garnet cried, running to her and hugging her fiercely. "Are you all right?" Dazedly, Diamond hugged her back. "I-I think so." Obsidian came to give her friend a hug. "We were worried we would have to find a new leader, here." She said, unshed tears bright in her eyes. Sapphire pummeled her shoulder. 'I knew you wouldn't give up that easily!" "NOO!" Katrina wailed, clutching the burnt embers of her Unum. "M-my creation! My baby! My pride a-and joy!" She wailed, shooting out fountains of tears. * * * "I don't believe it." Jedin muttered, although clearly he did. "She was practically dead, and all of a sudden she gets the idea to attack. Un-be- lieve-able." "We have underestimated them." Uther said quietly, turning around so his cape would twirl out mysteriously behind him. Unfortunately, it managed to cover Jedin's head, who gave it a yank, making Uther fall. The two immediately began to fight. Damon said nothing, just watched the recovering Diamond with interest, and more than the slightest bit of relief. She would die, of course, eventually. But his worthy opponent would have a good death. A memorable death. By his blade. * * * Katrina had launched back into high-pitched wails. The Jewel Senshi were defenseless, covering their ears as best they could. "Can't anybody SHUT HER UP?!!" Sapphire yelled. At this point, Malorie groaned and sat up. She had watched the events from eye-level with the ground, and was completely and totally confused. Her stomach still throbbed, but she attempted to ignore it, and stood up. "Guys?" She called faintly. No one heard her over Katrina's noise. "GUYS?!" She bellowed. Diamond immediately spotted her. "Malorie!" She screamed over the noise. "Are you all right?" "What?" Malorie called back. "ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?!" "FINE!!! NOW CAN YOU MAKE THIS DITZ SHUT UP?!?!" "WISH I KNEW HOW!!!" "ATTACK HER, FOR CHRIST'S SAKE!!!!" Malorie yelled, patience clearly gone over both pain and an annoying hollering psychotic evil woman. Diamond blinked at her. "Oh. Right." "WHAT DID MALORIE SAY?" Obsidian asked loudly. "WE SHOULD ATTACK HER." "GREAT IDEA!!" "ATTACK WHO?" Sapphire called. "KATRINA." "GREAT!! ME FIRST!" "SUIT YOURSELF." Sapphire took a deep breath, then belted out, "ICY GLACIER FREEZE!!!" An icy blast hit Katrina just as she took a breath to begin another wail. It went right down her throat and she choked, pounding her chest. Diamond hesitantly listened. Nothing. "I hope her vocal chords froze." She muttered to Garnet, ears still ringing. "Ditto." Garnet replied, banging her head to make sure she wasn't insane. Katrina made a huge gagging noise, attempting to cough up the ice, but to no avail. She began squeaking at a very high pitch. "I don't know which is worse-the crying or the squeaking." "Lacie! Marisa!" The two gave Diamond a very faint wave. "Hey, Diamond." Lacie said with a cough. "The stomach pain stuff is lifting, but we're both real tired. I think it must've drained some of our energy." "Oh dear." Sapphire said, supporting Marisa on one arm. "Will you both be okay?" "I hate to break this up." Obsidian said gently. "But if Katrina has the brains to realize you three are standing up while all the complete non- superhero humans are still down." "Oh." Marisa said with a flush. "Right." She immediately sat down and began moaning heartrendingly. "Well, now we can transform!" Malorie said, also dropping. "I wouldn't." Garnet said in a low tone. "Why not?" Lacie inquired. "No one's looking at us. They all ran away." "I've got the very bad feeling that someone is watching us." Garnet said, hardly moving her lips. "A very evil someone." Lacie glanced nervously around, then gave a groan and slumped again. "Go defeat her." She whispered. "Will do." Sailor Diamond said, giving her a slight reassuring kick that made Lacie muffle a squeak and lash out and kick her ankle. Limping rather hurriedly away, Diamond confronted Katrina. "Had enough? Stop hurting these people and go back to where you came from!" "Mmf mggr mumpple!" Katrina said. "I-guess-that means-she agrees." Obsidian said hesitantly. "Or maybe she's trying to speak in her native evil Scandinavian tongue!!" Sapphire said helpfully. "It sounds a lot like she's saying, 'Help, Japanese turkey!' in that language." "I am choosing to ignore that." Diamond said with a sweat drop. Katrina gave a spasm suddenly. A large flame shot out of her mouth, scorching the cafeteria ceiling. In the highest, loudest voice ever to bust the decibel scale, she shrieked, "YOU EVIL SLIMY LITTLE BRATS!!!!!!!! HOW DARE YOU JAM UP MY THROAT?!?!?! I WILL GET MY DAMON DOWN HERE AND HE WILL KICK ALL YOUR SKIRT-WEARING BUTTS!!!!" Diamond stared up at her, unimpressed. "I can't imagine anyone wanting to go with you." She snapped, and then added, "Not even some creepy evil general." Katrina shrieked almost as loudly as before. "DAMON IS THE BEST GUY EVER!!!!!!!!! HE'S NICE TO ME AND IS MYSTERIOUS AND CUTE AND HOT AND HUNKY AND BEAUTIFUL-" "And we SO do not care." Sapphire put in. Katrina opened her mouth- "Oh, no, you don't!" Diamond yelled at her. "Not if you want a Halo in the kisser!" "A halo in the kisser?" Garnet asked. "Why not?" Diamond asked, perplexed. "I thought it sounded cool." "Riiiight." Garnet said with a sweat drop. * * * "I don't believe this!" Jedin snarled, angrily punching his fist into his open palm. "They may be heroes, but they are so juvenile!!! They're bickering like children!" "Still young." Uther said with a contemptible shrug. "Still weak. Still untrained. Easy pickings." "Not as easy as we would think." Damon said darkly, staring at the crystal ball. "They act young, but each one's got a lot of potential. Potential that must never be tapped, otherwise we all die." Uther snorted. "No way. They're complete idiots." "Still," Damon said, with the slightest hint of a chuckle. "That was the most ingenious way I've ever seen to get Katrina to shut up." * * * The five were at a standstill. Katrina had her mouth firmly closed, but with hot pink energy boiling in both her hands. Diamond's hand was pointed at Katrina, but she eyed her hands nervously. "Someone move!" Obsidian burst out after several minutes of this. "Rachelle?" Someone said at the door. "Oh no!" Sailor Garnet whispered, turning to look. "Kyle's back!!" Rachelle's boyfriend was at the door, a glass of water in his hand, looking concerned. "Rachelle? Rachelle, honey, I brought you some-" He looked at Sailor Garnet, and the cup fell from his hand. Whites showed around his eyes as his mouth opened. "I think-he's recognized you." Sapphire whispered. "Keeeyah!" Katrina screeched, taking advantage of their switch in attention to launch a few shots. "Dodge!" Diamond cried. All of the four leapt away and bounded over the tables. "BLACK FEAR SWARM!!!!!" Obsidian called out, aiming at Katrina. Katrina shrieked and batted at the darts of black energy. "Get them off, get them off!" She wailed, slapping at them like they were bees and falling out of the air to land on a table. Kyle had remained rooted to the spot, staring at Garnet's every move. "SCALDING FLAMEBALLS FIRE!!!" Garnet yelled, pointing not at Katrina, but onto the table she had fallen on. It instantly ignited. Katrina shot into the air, hands on her rear, howling. "GOLDEN HALO-" Diamond began, pointing- "No!" Katrina wailed hands in the air. "I give up! Here-here!" She fumbled with something on her belt and then tossed a small cylinder onto the ground. It shattered instantly, and the glass that made it vanished. Light blue energy poured out of it and seeped back into its respective person. Diamond saw a flash of yellow, green, and purple light go back into Malorie, Marisa, and Lacie, who immediately stirred and sat up. Diamond glared at Katrina. "That was too easy. Why'd you give up?" Katrina glared at Diamond and opened her mouth to scream, but it snapped shut. She froze in midair, not breathing, eyes white, hair standing on end. "Oh, no." She croaked in a deep voice, eyes coming back into focus. "Oh, no.." She pointed a finger at Diamond. "You haaaven't seeeeen the last of meee!" She said, voice getting raspier, like an out-of-tune violin. "I'll beee baaack!!" "What's happening to her?!" Obsidian whispered in horror. "No idea." Diamond said, carefully eyeing Katrina. Her white skin was moving in tiny ripples across her body. She spasmed, and then disappeared with a "pop!" "Well." Sapphire said, peering up. "Anyone have any idea what THAT was all about?" "She looked like something was seriously going wrong with her insides." Diamond said, frowning slightly. "Rachelle?" Someone said from behind them. Sailor Garnet turned, even as Diamond hissed at her to stay put. "Kyle?" She asked. Diamond hit herself on her head. "Great. There go our secret identities." Kyle stood over Rachelle, looking furious. "What the hell are you doing, playing these games, Shell?? Why are you dressed up in that skirt and- weird-top?! Is this some sort of game?? A ploy??" "Um-Kyle-" Garnet said, shrugging hopelessly at the others angry faces. "You'd better sit down." "I don't WANT to sit down!" Kyle bellowed. "What are you doing? What's going on? Jeez, I haven't been this confused since I started dating you!" Garnet went on trying to calm her boyfriend, not noticing the look that passed from Diamond to Obsidian to Sapphire. Diamond nonchalantly strutted around to Kyle's back, and Obsidian and Sapphire to either side. "-whatever it is you all are trying to prove, I don't like it!" Kyle went on, ignoring them. "I mean, you could have at least told me-" Diamond quickly reached up and smacked her hand over his mouth. Obsidian and Sapphire grabbed both of his arms and pinned them to his body. Quickly, they walked to the doors and out of the cafeteria. "What are you doing?" Rachelle asked, fluttering beside them and wringing her hands. "Kyle-I'm so sorry-stop this, girls! Please! Kyle-remain calm- " Diamond took him and shoved him into a small alcove between the girls and boys bathrooms where a water fountain had stood until someone ripped it out of the wall and stolen it. "Shut up!" She hissed at him. "Now, I'm going to take my hand off your mouth now, but if you so much as open your mouth to yell, I will take my halo and shove it down your throat!" She carefully removed her hand, ready to silence him again if necessary. Kyle stared at her in outrage, but was comparatively quiet. "What the devil is going on?!" He growled. "Why are you all dressed in these weird clothes? What's going on?" He stared at them suspiciously. "You ARE Rachelle and her friends, aren't you?" Diamond took a deep breath. "Yes." "Then why are you dressed in all these weird clothes putting on a light show?!" He roared softly. "Try to understand!" Diamond yelled. The others gave her a reproachful look. She sighed. "Look, I know this is difficult, but we're all Sailor Scouts." Kyle snorted. "Sailor Scouts?! Yeah, RIGHT. Can't you come up with something a little better?" Diamond glared at him. "Listen, you pompous-" Her sailor uniform, and everyone else's, faded away to their normal clothes. Kyle's eyes practically popped out of his head. "Oh.my..GOD!!!!!!!" He hollered, forgetting Diamond's warning. Angie clapped her hand over his mouth again. "Now do you believe what's happening." She inquired. Kyle mumbled something. Angie removed her hand. He stared at Rachelle. "You-" He croaked. "You-all of you-" "Hard to believe, isn't it?" Mary said dryly, rubbing her head. "Well-yes." Kyle said, staring at her. "I mean, granted, you all look sort of like them, but-don't kill me-they are-you are-you look a lot prettier and nobler in Sailor form." "I'm not sure whether to kill or thank you." Elisha muttered, straightening her glasses. A growing roar signified the waking up of the victims of Katrina's energy- stealing. Murmurs of confusion were evident. "How long?" Kyle quietly asked Rachelle, pulling her aside as the others trotted back in, false amazement on their faces. "How long what?" She asked carefully, avoiding looking into his eyes. "How long have you been a-" He stopped. She sighed. "A few days, now. This is our third battle." Kyle rubbed his head, frowning slightly. "I must admit, this is very- strange." "I'm sorry to rush this on you." Rachelle said quietly. "But you have to accept it, and my friends." "They're all-a bit weird." Kyle admitted. "They mean a lot to me." Rachelle said firmly. "I don't know why, but I feel very-connected, somehow. And the connection is deep. I'd do anything for them. They're second in my affections now." Kyle cocked his head, a mischievous smile crossing his lips. "Second?" Rachelle smiled coyly. "You know who's first." Kyle grinned, then bent down and softly kissed her on the lips. "So," He said, straightening and putting an arm around her shoulders. "Who's the leader of your little group?" "Angie." "The one who slammed me up against the wall?" He replied indignantly. "Why not you?" He didn't see why his Shellie shouldn't be leading their little group. She was obviously the best. Rachelle giggled. "Me? No way. I'm one of many second-in-command people." "Why aren't you the leader?" Kyle asked again, upset. Rachelle smiled. "I'm so physically weak, silly." "Not true." Kyle protested as they entered the cafeteria. "Why, you must be as strong as Ang-" They both jumped back in alarm as a boy hit the wall by the door. He groaned and slid to the floor. Angela stood over him, shaking her fist. "And don't let me ever catch you bullying others again!" She threatened. "'Cause there's more where THAT came from!" Flushed, she glared proudly at the sorry heap, then turned to Kyle and Rachelle. "Hello!" She said cheerfully. "What took you so long?" "Um-what was that?" Rachelle asked, carefully closing Kyle's gaping mouth. "That?" Angie waved carelessly at the mangled boy. "He was the leader of those bullies. I made sure he won't try to tackle us again." "Okay." Kyle said weakly. "Maybe you were right." He muttered to Rachelle. "Told you." She said jauntily. "WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?" A voice boomed. Angela's heart sank. "Oh, no." She whispered. "It's Neo-Nazi Nichols." Mr. Nichols came striding up, looking puffed-up and important. "What's all this fuss about?" He roared, trying to be intimidating. "Why is this boy injured?" He eyed Angela suspiciously. "I got you for sneaking in late this morning, yes? Perhaps you'd better have a seat in lunch detention for beating up this boy." "I beat up him?!" Angela growled in outrage. "I come in to finish my lunch, he gets all up in my face of how I'm a stupid-girl-and he and his friends are going to beat me up after school, and I attacked him?! Hah!" "You want me to add refusal to cooperate along with that?" Mr. Nichols asked, getting out his notepad. Angela's jaw clenched. "She's not lying!" Elisha piped up, coming to her friend's defense. "The guy wanted to attack us. He's already attacked me!" Nichols shook a finger at her. "So there are two of you in on this-" "Seven." Mary said firmly, coming up with Malorie, Marisa, and Lacie. "Seven." Rachelle agreed. "Eight." Kyle corrected. "I believe her, sir." Nichols seemed to blow up with anger. "Now, you all see here! This is the most ridiculous, the most foolish, the most insulting ply attempt I've ever heard!! I-I will put you all in lunch detention, do you hear me?! How dare you lie to me!!" "We're telling the truth!" Elisha yelled. "It was self-defense. Stop trying to pin us!!" Nichols purpled with rage. Elisha bared her teeth- "She's telling the truth, sir." Elisha sighed, and turned to look at who she knew would be there. "Did we ask you to interfere?" She asked Chase. Chase ignored her. He spoke firmly to Mr. Nichols. "Sir, she speaks the truth. I watched the guy attempt to hurt her, then she merely shoved him away. But he tripped over a cafeteria bench, and, well, you know." Mr. Nichols seemed to calm down quite a bit seeing Chase. "Chase, hmm?" He asked, sizing him up. "Well, my boy-" ("My boy?!" Mary sniggered.) "-if you're sure these people are innocent-" "Quite sure." Chase repeated. Mr. Nichols nodded in agreement, then looked menacingly at Angela. "I've got my eye on you, missy." He warned. "I'll keep my eye on you, and you know why." With that last threat, he walked away to stop people from jumping on the tables. "Because you're a Nazi with a bug up your butt the size of a turkey?" Angela muttered when he was out of hearing range. "We didn't need your help." Elisha told Chase ungraciously. "No need to thank me." Chase replied, eyeing her with the same look she gave him. Angela sighed, then went up to Chase. "Not sure why you did that, but thanks anyway." She told him, ignoring Elisha's tiny squeal of outrage. Chase shrugged. "I don't like Nichols any more than you do. Besides, he wasn't being fair, busting on you like that." Angela rolled her eyes. "Don't need to tell me. Man, you're late one day." Someone called Chase's name. He winked at Elisha. "See ya, blue girl." He remarked off-handedly, trotting back to his jock gang. "I think he likes you." Angela announced when he had left. Elisha snorted, but turned just the slightest bit pink. "Don't be stupid. He's-" she lowered her voice. "-really cute. I haven't got a chance." "He say good-bye to you." Malorie pointed out. "Not to Angela. And she was actually talking to him." "Don't be an idiot." Elisha said primly, sitting down and beginning to eat her lunch. "I don't like him." "Then how come you said you had fallen in love with him before?" Marisa said slowly, a malicious grin lighting up her face. Elisha spit out part of the sandwich she was eating. "What? I mean-I didn't mean to imply-" "ELISHA LIKE CHASE!!! ELISHA LIKES CHASE!!!!" Lacie and Marisa began chanting. "Shut up!" Elisha hissed, throwing her apple at them. Angela smiled at the fight that was breaking up, then the back of her neck prickled as she looked around. For an instant, just a moment, she had the feeling that two cold blue eyes were watching her. 


	9. The Double Duo and the Illusion Maze! D...

Chapter Five  
  
"B-but, sir, I t-truly didn't mean t-to fail-OW!!!" Katrina fell back, cradling her stump of an arm. It instantly grew back, but she continued screaming. "THAT HURT!!!!! YOU'RE SOO M-MEAN!!!!" "You deserved it." Ithengil spat. "Messing up like you did. You practically killed their leader, and yet you gave up!! With actions like this, it's a wonder we're getting any energy at all!" "Well, I see you've not lost any of your cheerfulness, Ithengil." A drawling, smooth, British-accented voice said. Ithengil froze, and turned slowly around. "Is that.can it be.?" A man with pale skin and blond hair that looked like it had been extremely bleached walked forward out of the shadows, hands in his pockets. Dark brown eyes with a familiar black flash gazed intensely at Ithengil as a cocky smile played on his lips. "So, Spike." Ithengil said, lips pursed. "Have you finally decided to come back into our little gang?" Spike leaned nonchalantly against a black pillar. "Piracy was too boring, mate. Thought I'd come back and see how all my old buddies were doin'." He said coolly. Jedin and Uther came in from the other side of Ithengil, muttering to themselves. Jedin looked up, saw Spike, hit Uther and pointed. "Spike's back." He muttered quietly. "Yeah." Spike said, looking sharply at them. "Spike's back. Piracy was a bit too easy for me, mate." Jedin grinned savagely. "It's good to have you back. We need someone to ridicule us but not be able to do any better." He added, as an afterthought. "Aside from Ithengil." Spike snorted, and gave him a dangerous look. "Don't make me show you some of what I learned when I was away." He warned. "You won't find it pleasant." Jedin glared at Spike, flexing his hands. Spike smiled coolly and looked like he was about to attack. "Spike?" The expression on Spike's face changed in a heartbeat. With a look of almost tenderness he turned to face the extremely pale woman coming out of the shadows. "Ivy," He breathed, going to her. "You should be resting, you're still weak." The woman hesitantly walked forward. She was strangely beautiful, with dark red lips, waves of dark green hair, and two half-crazy black eyes with two red spots in them, like burning coals. "Look at all these people." She murmured lightly, looking around. "Are these all bad people?" "They're our good old friends, remember, love?" Spike asked gently. ("Looks like he's still carting around his psycho girlfriend." Uther muttered to Jedin. "Remember how scary she was?") Ivy, with a look in her eyes like a caged tiger, slowly slid up towards Ithengil and looked in his eyes. "This one has power." She hissed dreamily. "I could feel it when we first arrived." "This is Ithengil." Spike said, slipping an arm about her waist. "You remember-the High Priest?" "Do you like small animals?" Ivy continued, ignoring Spike except to slip her hand down to touch his. "I love them, but when I try to make them my friends, they always die." She continued, sadly and crazily. "Everything I touch always dies." Spike sighed as Ivy crumpled slightly. "You're so cold, love. Here, I got you." "I'm a daisy." She murmured, reaching up with on long fingernail to cut his ear. "That's what you are." He purred as she reached up to finger the blood dripping from the cut. He stopped his cooing to look sideways at Ithengil, Katrina, Jedin, and Uther. "Me and Ivy, we're moving back in." Ithengil attempted to smile. "It will be good to have you back. After you ran away after the last battle." Spike snorted. "Too easy. All these planets are too easy. But piracy was no better. So-" He shrugged. "-we're back." Then he grinned savagely. "But enough about us. Let's talk about you lot, Ithengil. How much energy have you gathered?" Ithengil ground his teeth. "Not much, thanks to these louts." He gave Katrina an angry glance. Spike snorted in disgust. "There was a time when the entire planet would be dead by now, and you haven't even drained the major species?" He shook his head. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. You've all gotten so slacked off since we've been away." "We can handle ourselves fine without you." Uther snapped. "But this planet's got seven very powerful Senshi. Not at all what we're used to." Spike snorted. "Yeah, right. Nice excuse, Uther. What, did one of them have psychic powers to fend you off?" "As a matter of fact, yes." Uther snapped. Spike chucked grimly. "Very pathetic. You all really have gone to seed." "We're telling the truth!" Katrina wailed. "Their leader-s-she's so strong!! And they're all good fighters!! Fast and brave a-and-" "Shut it." Spike ordered her crossly. "I don't have time for all your immature babbling." "Spike? Hah, you blonde, it is you!" Spike turned with a grin. "Damon! I'll be damned!" The two fiercely hit each other's shoulders and hugged. "Good to see a friendly face, mate." Spike told Damon, holding him at arm's length and inspecting him. "At least, among all these idiots. Gah, you haven't changed a bit, have you?" "Not an inkling." Damon agreed. "Neither have you, for that matter. How's Ivy?" Spike grinned as Ivy came around from behind him and stared at Damon, who bowed. Ivy did not curtsy or bow in return, or make any move. "You've got a secret." She whispered dreamily. "But you hide it very well. It's a very special secret." Spike grinned at Damon. "A secret, eh? Do tell." Damon forced a laugh. "Later, Spike. Have you come back to help us?" Spike nodded, draping an arm across Ivy's shoulders. "Yeah, we have-but tell me the truth, Dames. Are these girls really tough, or were all our wimpy friends just having a bad day?" He gave the closely-watching group a glance with of disgust. Damon shook his head. "No joke. These Senshi are strong, Spike. It's going to be a bit tougher on this one." Spike gave a small, unconvinced laugh. "They've even got you in trouble, eh, Damon??" He snapped his fingers. "Ivy, see if you can See them, all right? Tell me what you spy." Ivy nodded, closed her eyes, and began rocking back and forth, murmuring in a sing-song voice. "The thing is, Damon." Spike continued warmly, as if trying to talk to a stubborn child. "You lot always gave up a bit easier than me and Ives. Remember on that one planet with the four Senshi and you guys were all for just bombing it and-" Ivy let out a scream and began to twitching uncontrollably, massaging her temples. "I can't see her! I can't see any of them!! It's all so dark where they are..they've got deep protection." Frightened, Spike clutched his girl's shoulders. "Ivy! You all right, love?" "I can't see them." Ivy continued to murmur. Then her eyes focused on Spike. "Kill them, Spike. Kill them for me?" "It' s done, angel." Spike said, bringing her hand close to his lips and kissing it. "Kill them for Daisy?" "I'll knock their heads off." Spike said reassuringingly. He turned back to Damon with a calm look in his face. "Maybe you were right about this planet being tougher than others." * * * "Keeeeeyah!" Mary yelled, slamming into the punching bag with all her might. The punching bag flung itself into the air and came back in a huge arc. "AAAAH!" Mary screeched, jumping out of its path. "You evil, slimy-" On its return path, she gave it a mighty punch-and then immediately she began jumping up and down, holding her aching hand. "That's enough, Mary." Lune said, peering sternly over her clipboard. "Are you all right?" Mary groaned and rubbed her wrist. "I think so. MAN, that hurt!" "I suggest going down and doing twenty push-ups on yours knuckles." Lune announced. "TWENTY?!" Mary yelled. "On my KNUCKLES?!" "It will strengthen your wrists!" Angie called from the trapezes. She swung by her hands, let go, and landed in a heap by Mary. "Ow. Seriously, it will help you build up your hand muscles so your wrist bones don't break. I'll do them with you, if you want." Mary sighed, Angie smiled, and they both got down on the ground and began doing push-ups. "Rachelle!" Lune called. "You take a turn at the punching bag." "After what it did to Mary?!" Rachelle yelled from her safety corner across the gym. "No, thanks!" Lune sighed. "You must build up SOME strength!" "She's right, Shellie!" Lacie called from the laser-shooting center, where she and Marisa were very carefully dodging lasers that came out once every five seconds. "There'll be a time when you'll need it!" Rachelle sighed in resignation, then slowly walked up to the punching bag. It seemed to loom in front of her like a pillar of unmovable proportions. "I don't think I can do this." She muttered. She drew her hand back and very carefully, punched at the bag's center. The bag did not move one inch, but it looked like it was considering it. "Okay!" Rachelle said brightly, rapidly retreating. "I hit it! I can't do it! Someone else's turn!" "RACHELLE!!" Lune roared, patience gone. "Get back there and at least TRY to fight!!" Rachelle sighed, and made her way back, slightly quicker. An idea was forming in her mind. If she could only concentrate her psycho-kinesis. Everyone gasped as Rachelle stepped confidently up to the punching bag, leaned back, and punched. The bag went whizzing up in a huge arc and came gently back down as Rachelle gave it a triumphant smile. All the others stared at her in shock. "That was amazing!" Malorie whispered to Elisha. Rachelle dusted off her knuckles and walked over to Lune. She gave her a lofty smile. "Well, Lune?" Lune looked at her severely over her clipboard. "Very well done, Rachelle. I almost couldn't sense the psychic power you used to make the bag fly up before you hit it." Rachelle gaped at her, then blushed a deep red. "Rachelle!" Angie said indignantly. "You were cheating!!" "I-that-well-" Rachelle said in explanation, cowering slightly. "For shame!" Elisha called from her spot on the monkey-bars. "But I can't hit it!" Rachelle wailed, turning appealingly to Lune. "It's not my thing!! I'm not at all strong physically!" "That's no excuse for trying to cheat." Lune said severely, trying to make the small smile tugging at her lips to go away. Rachelle didn't notice it. "Pleeeeeease!" She cried, getting down on her knees. "Let me practice my psycho-kinesis! Please, please, please!!" Lune pretended to consider, while looking Rachelle over affectionately. "Well." "PLEASE?!?!?!" Rachelle wailed. Lune smiled. "Very well. Try to sense other people's presences nearby. That's a good exercise." Rachelle smiled in relief and sat down on the ground, Indian-style. She took a deep breath, and let cool blankness trickle through her brain. She put the sounds of the others exercising out of her mind. She put the hard floor away. Her heart banged loudly in her ears-she pushed the sound back, slowing her pulse. Her breathing slowed to deep sighs. A pulse of mind energy moved close by her. She felt Angie's mind presence gingerly reaching out, inspecting what she was doing. She smiled and memorized the basic feel of the presence before letting her spirit move up and out, reaching over the town. A strange presence touched on the outer reaches of her mind limit. She frowned, both in spirit and in body, and stretched for it, feeling around. A half-crazy, evil presence opened to her. She felt it-she, actually- inspecting her, trying to see who and where she was. Who her friends were. Rachelle instantly put up a shield, trying to block the invader. But the intruder pushed on, stronger than she was, desperately trying to see. Angie!!! Rachelle screamed in her mind. I need some help!!! We've got an intruder!!" Every girl in the gym froze. Lights flew around their eyes and hands. Without the slightest hesitation, each closed their eyes, and allowing their minds to slip away to Rachelle's call. Rachelle?? Marisa called faintly. Was that you?? Are you talking to us?? Rachelle screamed in delight and surprise. Marisa!! Is that you?? But-I called for Angie!! I didn't know you could do it, too!! Apparently, we all can, now. A faint voice that sounded like Mary's said. Are ALL of you here?? Rachelle called, reaching back to them while the intruder tried to barge through. Yes. Angie said, voice sounding stronger and clearer than before. Do you need some help?? Someone's trying to find out who we are. Rachelle felt all the mind voices, some faint, some strong, grow tense. What can we do to help?? Malorie asked, her voice sounding clearer than the others, except for Angie. Rachelle reached out and grabbed her mind, showing it the invading evil, crazy presence. See that?? We need to block it, to form a shield. I don't know what it is, but it's evil. I know that. Malorie reached hesitantly out with her mind to feel the shield Rachelle had already put up. Hesitantly, she drew some of her power up to pass into the shield. It flared brighter in everyone's mind. Carefully, cautiously, with Rachelle's guidance, everyone else added a bit of their energy to the shield. The would-be intruder obviously felt the shield get stronger, for it banged hard on it once or twice before quickly whisking away. Rachelle wondered if she heard a wail of anger before the presence faded, completely guarded. With a jolt, Rachelle returned to her own body. Blood was on her hands from where she had clenched them too hard, digging her nails into her skin. Everyone else was returning with gasps for air or cries of pain to find themselves stiff and white. Lune looked at them all angrily. "May I asked what on EARTH was the reason that you all very suddenly decided to go galloping off into the land of psychic-powers that none of you have mastered yet?!" She shouted. "Someone was trying to find out who we were, Lune." Angie said calmly, stretching and standing. "Well next time, try to WARN me!!" Lune shouted. "You have no comprehension of some of the things that are out there!! There are people with stronger telekinetic powers, strong enough to capture and bind you all- yes, even you, Rachelle!! You must learn control!! I could feel your minds leaping all about like drunk antelopes!! Learn subtleness!!" "Teach us." Lacie said, twisting her neck back and forth till it popped. "Teach us how. We might need it at some point." Lune sighed. "I had hoped to not go into this for a while. Besides, I'm the master of building up physical strength, not mental. For that, we would need-" She broke off with another deep sigh. "We would need.?" Mary asked. "Demetri?" Malorie inquired gently. Lune nodded, sadly. Angie came forward to scratch Lune's ears. "Lune," She began softly. "What exactly did happen to you and Demetri, and to Opal??" Lune shook her head. "It's not for me to say alone, girls. I need Demetri for the story to be complete. Otherwise, you'll just hear my half. And my half is the less complete one." "Well, what happened to Demetri?" Marisa asked. Lune's ears drooped. "I only wish I knew. When they hit the main palace, we were separated. And-then there was the crash-the ceiling-marble blocks- falling-" She sighed. "And the next thing I knew, I was in the space zone, and a voice was telling me to wait for the Jewel Senshi to return. Which I did. For several thousand years, I waited in cat form. All the time I searched all the new planets, looking for Demetri. To no avail. I haven't seen him since nearly ten thousand years ago." Lune turned abruptly away then, but all the girls saw the glimmer of a tear that had formed in one large cat eye. Marisa started to move to pet her, but Angie grabbed her arm. She had learned enough about Lune now to know that she preferred to be known as tough, and never let her weaknesses show. It would have been an insult to try and comfort her. Lune quickly turned back around, all hint of tears gone. "Now, girls, why don't you just continue physical training for today, hmm?" She asked. Silently, the girls pulled away. Mary moved to go to the laser-dodging activity, when she happened to glance to the door. Her eyes opened wide and a strangled yell burst from her throat. "Angie!" Angie turned-and started with a gasp. "Lune!" At the note in her voice, Lune turned, looked-and let out a small scream that resounded through every corner of the room. "DEMETRI!!!" A terribly thin, silver cat with matted fur was leaning against the doorframe. As Lune bounded over to it, it made an effort to straighten and purr at her. "Hey, Lune." It murmured in a deep, cool tone. Lune smacked him over the head with one paw. "Demetri, you idiot!! Where have you been, and what on Opal have you been doing?!" The cat winced, and placed a paw over its head. "Ow! That hurt!" "And well it should!" Lune snapped, tears bright in her eyes. "Do you realize how long I waited for you?!" Without waiting for an answer, she forced the cat to the ground and proceeded to vigorously wash him. "Ow! Lune-hey, stop!-ow!" The cat protested. "Believe me, I tried to reach you!! But their high priest got to me and flung me into another dimension." Lune stopped washing him for a moment to look upset. "Ithengil?! He's still alive?! I thought-I had hoped-maybe he had." "As did I." The cat said grimly. "But he's still with her." "Um-excuse me." Angie said softly, coming up to the silver cat with her hand out. "Are you Demetri?" The silver cat looked at her with large, dark red eyes. His whiskers twitched. "I am. And you are?" "I'm-well, my name's Angie." Angie said. "But I'm really-I'm Sailor Diamond." Demetri's red eyes opened so wide you could see whites all around. "You- you're a scout?!" He gasped. Angie nodded, worried. Demetri stared at Lune. "You've found them already?!" Lune nodded. "It was rather easy. Their auras are already very bright." "Fantastic." Demetri murmured. "Simply unbelievable." He sized Angie up. "So you're the leader or our Jewel Senshi, hmm? Angie nodded as the others came forward. Mary bent down to give Demetri a friendly pat. "I'm Mary-actually, I'm-." Demetri smiled at her. "I'd recognize your dark hair anywhere, Obsidian." Mary smiled and blushed a little. Lacie gingerly tapped his head. "Nice kitty." She muttered. "I'm Lacie- Amethyst." Demetri frowned at Lacie's carefulness. "What's wrong? Allergic to cats?" "Lune scratched her several times when we first met her." Marisa said helpfully, scratching along Demetri's back. "I'm Marisa, or Sailor Emerald." Demetri gave Lune an affectionate glance. "Do you still not have any patience with them?" He inquired. Lune actually blushed. "I was annoyed." She muttered by way of explanation. "I do remember your short temper." Demetri said dryly. Angie blinked. Was it her imagination, or did it seem like Lune and Demetri were flirting?? "I'm Malorie." Malorie said, coming forward. "Sailor Topaz." Demetri said with a nod. "Please." Malorie said with a grin. "Call us by our human names. We don't really feel like those warriors yet." "Understandably so." Demetri said with a straight face. "I will indeed try." Elisha and Rachelle timidly stroked either side of Demetri. "You're so beautiful." Rachelle said, awestruck. "Thank you." Demetri said. "But I prefer handsome." Rachelle giggled. "My mistake. I'm Garnet, by the way. Or Rachelle. Or Shellie." Demetri nodded. "Rachelle. I'll remember." "And I'm Elisha." Elisha said, fingering one of his ears before flicking it with a fingernail. Demetri jumped and gave her a look. "Hey!" "Sorry." Elisha apologized. "But I've never seen a cat with silver fur before. I wanted to check to make sure you were real." Demetri eyed her suspiciously. "Fine, then." His coat was starting to gleam again by now, due to Lune's persistent cleaning and Mary's gentle picking out of matted, rotting hair. Demetri sighed blissfully as he rubbed his head against Mary's hand. "Thank you. That feels so much better." "You're very welcome." Lune said snootily, spitting out a few silver hairs. Demetri gave her a feline grin before turning to look at all the girls. He sat very still and sphinx-like. The girls sat admiring him, every once in a while reaching out to stroke an ear or his back. "If you're expecting me to do anything but eat and sleep, you've got another thing coming." Demetri said at last. Angie blinked. "Well, Lune had said something about a story that she couldn't tell unless you were here, and now you're here.." "Not now." Demetri said firmly. "I'm exhausted. Breaking through the dimensions was hard, even with the trigger word being said." Angie sighed, and sat back on her toes. "Well, it was worth a shot." She said to no one in particular. "You will hear the story." Demetri promised. "But as of now, I am weak. I must be at my full strength to be able to recount the past." Rachelle stiffened, and murmured a warning. "They're coming." Elisha glanced over at her. "Who?" "Them. That-presence, that tried to find who we are. It's coming, and another person with it." Tense, wary, the girls stood. "Where will they hit?" Angie asked. Rachelle looked around, eyes closed, searching with her mind. "Close. Very close. I think." Her eyes snapped open. "At that new building site. You know, that new Sears? It's right by the park. They might try to reach people from there." "So what do we do?" Marisa asked. "Wait for them in the park, or go and get them where they first are." Angie frowned. "Definitely where they first are. The park's too big." "So." Lacie hesitated. "We transform?" Angie grinned. "Oh, yeah. We transform." "Diamond Star Power!" "Obsidian Star Power!" "Garnet Star Power!" "Amethyst Star Power!" "Topaz Star Power!" "Sapphire Star Power!" "Emerald Star Power!" "MAKE-UP!!!" Demetri watched the blaze of colors with some pride and satisfaction. "They'll be great, someday." He told Lune, who was sitting beside him. Lune sighed. "They've become great already." Diamond finished her transformation and grinned at Demetri. "We'll be back in a sec, you two. Just got to finish some evil plots to destroy the world. Average stuff, you know." The seven Senshi left and went bounding away over the roof tops to where the tops of the park trees could be seen. Demetri watched them go. "Do they know what they're in for yet?" Lune sighed. "No. They have no true idea what they're up against. I hate to spoil their innocence though." Demetri nodded knowingly. "But we have to sooner or later. Our scouts can handle it." Lune looked out at the seven disappearing girls. "I hope you're right, Demetri. I sincerely hope you're right." * * * Spike blinked around in the mid-morning sunlight of this strange planet. "God." He muttered. "Think it's bright enough here? Their star must be less than a few million miles away!! Sheesh!" The two evil generals were standing precariously close to the top of the unfinished building on a long, overhanging piece of metal. Ivy looked around too, eyes opened wide. "All the little animals are running about." She murmured to Spike, half-entwining her fingers in his short hair. Spike grinned savagely, looking down at the various people scampering around through the park. "Oh, yeah. All the cute little animals are everywhere, aren't they? Do you want to kill some cute little animals?" "That one," Ivy said, pointing down to a youth-looking male, "is a very bad animal. He's trying to steal all the nuts and flowers." Spike peered down. It did seem like the male was trying to steal from a stand of nutritious items with a rather interesting smell, but the owner of the items was arguing furiously and wrapping his arms around the boy, who did not attempt to struggle but instead fought back with his own strangling hold. (Actually, the first young man was an army volunteer who had just come back from overseas, and the vendor-owner was his brother, but how was Spike to know that?) "A very bad animal." Spike agreed. "Perhaps you'd like to make him suffer?" Ivy looked at him in perplexity. "Now, why would I wish to do that?" She asked, voice taking on the tone and accent of a young cultured British girl. Spike sighed. Great Ivy had gone off in her own little world again. Occasionally, these brief fits would pop up and she'd think she was something else, but why here and now?! They had a mission to do!! But there was only one thing to do: ride with it. "Oh, terribly sorry, my dear." Spike said with a straight a face as he could manage. "Perhaps you would prefer, some-er-energy?" "A cup of tea would be lovely." Ivy said primly, sitting down in midair like she was seated on an invisible chair. "No tea, sorry dear." Spike continued. Ivy blinked. "No tea? But what on." Her eyes wavered, then focused. "Oh, Spikey, there you are. Now are we going to get some energy from the puppies and kittens or not?" Spike smiled in relief. He had been afraid the phase would last more than a few seconds. He still shuddered when he remembered when Ivy had mimicked someone she called, "The Crocodile Hunter" from Gods-Knows-Where for a whole week. "Hey, you!" Spike sighed. "Really, love, please. Can we stop with the silly charades?" Ivy gazed up at him dreamily. "Your hair looks like onions." She murmured. Spike frowned. She seemed to be acting normal. "Hey! Hello!" The voice called again. "I don't think they can hear you." Another voice said. "But they're standing right there!" The first voice replied. There were murmurs of agreement. "Try again, then." A third voice urged. The first voice seemed to take a deep breath. "HEY!!! HELLO DOWN THERE!!! YO!! BLONDIE AND GREEN-HEAD!!!" There were shouts of protests. "Not that loud!!" A fourth voice complained. "Man, you sounded like Katrina!!" Spike slowly turned and looked to the large metallic beam just above them. Seven silhouettes-of young, humanoid-looking girls-were perched there just above them. They were arguing amongst themselves amicably. "She has a nicer voice than Katrina, though-" "How would you know?! You were on the ground in pain the whole time!-" "Well, we heard enough, we weren't deaf-" "Yeah, it was hard NOT to hear her." "Hey, Diamond, I meant to ask you, did something bad happen to you while you were fighting?" "Yeah, there were a lot of screams-" "I was attacked by this weird alien thingy-" One voice began. The lead silhouette looked down at Spike's upturned face. "Oh, great. Hello! Enough chattering! We have company!" All seven silhouettes peered down at him. "Oh, my God!" One of them whispered. "He looks EXACTLY like James Marsters!!" "Only you, Topaz." Another voice said, sighing. A further back silhouette shook its head at the one next to it. Spike bared his teeth slightly. What angle, what angle, what angle. "Hello, there!" He called, trying to keep his voice light and friendly. "Who're you, and why are you up this high?" "Why are you?" Someone quickly retorted. There were several cries of "Hush!" "Look." The lead silhouette said, looking down at him. "We know who you and your girlfriend are, okay? You're evil generals for Rubian." Spike frowned. There went his innocent attempt. "And you are.?" The seven silhouettes jumped down onto the wide beam just in front of him. Sunlight flashed across each pretty face. "WE'RE THE JEWEL SENSHI!" They announced as one. Spike sighed and sagged as his mind raced. "The Jewel Senshi? Oh, dear, oh dear! Whatever shall we do?" He turned to Ivy. "Uh, love? What did we do with the Senshi of those other planets?" Ivy came up to rest her head on Spike shoulder, smiling eerily at the girls. "Why, we killed them, Spiky." She murmured quietly. "We killed them all." "Oh, yeah , that's right!" Spike exclaimed in tones of false surprise. "Oh, and you know what?" He turned back to the girls. "We're going to do the same to you." The leader Senshi smiled. "Of course. I had expected as much." She said, teeth chattering. Spike smiled, then rubbed his hands. "So. Let's start at the beginning. Introductions first, people." Ivy looked interestedly at the girls. "These are the Sailor Scouts." She murmured. "Very good, angel." Spike purred, rubbing her cheek with his hand. "Diamond," Ivy murmured, pointing to the lead Senshi. "Topaz. Emerald. Garnet. Sapphire. Amethyst. Obsidian. All the pretty jewels." Diamond evaluated the woman carefully as Amethyst poked her back. "I'm getting major creepy vibes from these two!" She hissed. "They give me the willies!" "Your girlfriend's a freak." Topaz told the blond general calmly. Diamond saw her hands shaking behind her back. The blond man smiled, but his dark eyes sharpened like knives. "I wouldn't be so quick to judge who was the freak here, Sailor Topaz." "Come on." Obsidian said roughly. "You said it was intro-time. Well, you know us. Are we going to find out who you are or not?" The man bowed elaborately, but his eyes never left them. "I am Spike, General of Rubian and Master of Piracy, pleased to make your acquaintance. This-" He gestured to Ivy, who curtsied deeply. "-is the Lady Ivy, Mistress of Illusion." All the girls gasped. "Spike!!" Emerald hissed at Diamond. "I don't believe this! This guy's like right out of Buffy!!" "So's Ivy!!" Garnet whispered-screamed. "She's exactly like Dru!! Is this creepy or WHAT?!" "Would someone please explain?!" Sapphire said tartly. "What's Buffy?! Who's Dru?" "Never mind! Explain later!" Diamond told her, trying not to sound as freaked as she felt. Spike watched this exchange with a bemused expression. "What are they doing??" He asked Ivy. Ivy closed her eyes. "They're young," She purred. "Weak-minded. Silly. Not fully trained warriors yet. Easy for pumpkin to kill." "Then why'd Jedin and Damon and the others have so much trouble?" Spike asked quietly. "Especially Damon. Is he just weaker or are these girls really stronger than they act?" "I sometimes think my nails will all fall out." Ivy murmured, resting her head on Spike's chest. "Never happen." Spike told her. "Now what do we do about the girls?" Ivy response was brief. "Kill them." Garnet felt a surge of evil fly up in her mind. "Everybody down!!!" She screamed, throwing herself to the cold, hard metal. The girls gaped at her in amazement, dropping to their knees. A torrent of red fire blossomed over their heads where they had been not one second earlier. The heat from it scorched and burned all the scouts' hair, and Obsidian yelped as a small thread lashed out to burn her cheek. The fire dissipated and Obsidian gingerly touched her cheek. "Now that stung!" She growled, glaring at Spike, who looked decidedly unruffled. "You-peroxide freak!" Spike cocked an eyebrow at her. "What is this 'peroxide'?" "Does it matter?" Sailor Obsidian yelled, eyes on fire. "BLACK FEAR SWARM!!!" Spike watched her oncoming attack with interest before waving his hand. The attack stopped an inch from his face, swirled, and vanished in a few red sparks. Sailor Obsidian stared, shivering. "No way!" She muttered. "He barely had to move!" "You started the conversation." Spike said, a ball of red electricity forming in his right hand. "I was merely attempting to keep it going with a simple question. Too bad. Now I'll never know the answer." The electricity swarmed out faster than the eye could track. Within an instant, it had hit Obsidian. She screamed in pain and fell backwards towards the edge of the beam. Diamond cried out a warning as she tilted back- A gloved hand reached out and snagged Obsidian's arm as she flew backwards. She clung to it, not caring who it was, or that they could hear her sobbing like a baby. The ground was so far below, and just under her feet, there was nothing. She was hauled up back onto the beam. She clung to whoever had saved her, cries muffled in their tunic. Diamond watched this interestedly. She had no idea whether Obsidian had any idea that she had been saved by Tuxedo Onyx, but she would give two of her fingers to trade spots with her right then. Tuxedo Onyx looked alarmed but not uncomfortable. His hand quickly strayed over her hair, and he gently patted her shoulder. Obsidian gulped as she realized her head was resting on someone's chest. Someone who was much taller than she was, and she was the tallest of her friends. Slowly, she looked up. Smoky eyes partly hidden beneath a silver mask met hers. Obsidian felt a blush rise on her cheeks. "Um, hi." She muttered. Brilliant, you idiot!!! She yelled in her head. This guy just saved you and dealt with your stupid sobbing for an hour, and the best you can say is HI?! Tuxedo Onyx gave her a quirky grin. "Hello. It seemed you needed some help." You can back away from his arms now. Her inner voice scolded. "Yes, well," She said shyly, completely ignoring the voice. "Thank you for helping me." Tuxedo Onyx backed away with a bow. "No problem." Spike frowned as he looked at the strange man who had prevented his first kill. "Who are you?" The silver clad man turned and stared at Spike, who felt the hairs on his neck raise. "A Guardian!" He hissed in recognition. "That's right." The man replied coldly, seeming to grow in stature and height. "I am Tuxedo Onyx of the line of the Therinan." "The Ther-whatsit?" Diamond asked Sapphire, who shrugged. Spike smiled tossily. "No matter. Even a Guardian can't protect seven newbies." "Nevertheless." Tuxedo Onyx insisted. "They're under my protection, and I'll die before one of them gets killed by the likes of you." Obsidian moved slightly to the side of him to glare nervously at the two villains. "Oh, really?" Spike sneered. "Then protect them!" Balls of electricity formed in both his hands, and flew out, splitting and dividing to form a circle of twelve attacks around the scouts and Tuxedo Onyx. Garnet whimpered slightly, clutching Tuxedo Onyx's cloak. "What do we do?!" She whined. "What can we do?!" Diamond watched this, slightly miffed. "We could always jump off." She suggested. The others stared at her. "Simple." Amethyst commented. "Elegant. And completely suicidal. Are you nuts?!" "Not all the way!" Diamond growled, injured. "Down to the next beam! The attack will miss!" "Do you think it's safe?" Sapphire asked Tuxedo Onyx. Tuxedo Onyx smiled grimly. "What other choice do we have?" The group edged towards the beam's end. Just as they were about to jump, Emerald noticed a shimmering wall between the lightning balls. "Don't! It's a tra-!" ZAP!! Garnet had been the first to touch the space between the attacks. A shield of white-hot energy sprang up visibly where she touched. She screamed and fell back, clutching burned, raw arms and smoldering gloves. "The energy balls must have made a high-frequency wall between them." Tuxedo Onyx told Diamond tersely. "I'm sorry." She replied, shaken. "I-I hadn't seen-" "Obviously." Tuxedo Onyx said sharply, turning away. Diamond grabbed his shoulder and whirled him around to face her. "Watch it, pal." She warned in a low voice so none of the other girls could hear. "Just because I trust you and you claim to be a Guardian doesn't mean I give up my leadership of this little ensemble." "And it was your plan that made Sailor Garnet get injured." Tuxedo Onyx snapped, pointing to where Garnet was being tended to as best as possible by Sapphire and Topaz. "I didn't hear you come up with a better plan!" Diamond retorted. "And now we're stuck here with two generals just outside waiting to attack-" "The naughty animals are fighting." A dreamy voice said. Tuxedo Onyx and Diamond whirled around. Through the sparkling shields there came a green-haired figure, clothed in green silk and wrapped in mists. Green fire bloomed in both her pale hands. "Ivy." Diamond whispered. "What's she going to do?" Ivy's dark eyes glowed green. "Naughty kitties." She whispered, putting a finger to her lips. "Shhhh." The Senshi stared at her, very still. Rachelle had stopped crying to look up. An eerie silence fell inside the bubble. An expecting silence. A waiting silence. "Bad little kitties." Ivy continued, eyes glowing brightly. "Shame on kitties. Guess you'll need to be taught a lesson." The green fire slowly rose into the air and stretched towards them, wrapping lightly around the Senshi's eyes and faces. The green mist seemed to expand and flow over them, turning the world into a living dream. Diamond coughed, waving her hand in front of her face. "These mists." She muttered, trying to clear her throat as they trickled down. "This can't be ordinary fog." "There's a definite bad feeling in this stuff." Tuxedo Onyx said, covering his face partially with his cloak. "Hey!" Garnet called, waving her hands in front of her face. "Hello? I can't-see-ow!" "Ow! That was my shin, Garnet!" Topaz complained. "And that was my head!" Garnet replied, sitting up and letting the mist curl around her head. "Where's everyone else?" "We're here, Garnet!" Diamond called, hearing her friend. "But I can't see any of you. Just stay where you are. Wait till this stuff clears." As if on cue, the fog rolled back and disappeared. Diamond rubbed her eyes, and stared at the scene in front of them. The beam high above the earth was gone. So was the shopping mall. So was the city. "Nani!?" Obsidian screeched, staring around. "Where the hell are we?!" Bright golden meadows stretched out for infinity in all directions. Wildflowers were strewn in various clumps and patches. A few gold-green butterflies flittered past on small, evanescent wings. Mountains loomed faintly up in the distance. A warm breeze carried the thick perfume of thousands of flowers. "Ahhh!" Emerald cried in delight, running over to pick a flower. "It's so pretty!" Garnet exclaimed, looking around at the bed of flowers she was sitting in. Topaz danced about happily. "Whee! This place is great!" She exclaimed. Obsidian and Amethyst were lying down and staring up at the sky, pointing at various clouds. "There's an elephant!" "Where?" "Right there, see." "Oh, yeah." Amethyst yawned. "Man, this place's so cool." Diamond looked around, troubled. "But how'd we get here?" She murmured. "Teleportation? Or is this just a mind figment-" "Or maybe it's real!" Sapphire said, overhearing her. She lifted her arms and twirled around, face to the sun. "Come on, Diamond! This is beautiful!" Tuxedo Onyx bent down to snap a flower off its stem. "It seems real enough." He muttered. The flower in his hand stayed alive and fresh for a single moment, before with a pop, it crumbled into dust. Tuxedo Onyx stared at it, then flung the dust away from him. "I don't like this." He muttered. Diamond glanced around, uneasily. Something was strange.She, too, bent to pick a flower. Before she could tear it from its stem, the flower writhed in her hand, letting out a high-pitched squeal. Diamond jumped back. "Everyone up!" She screamed. "This isn't right!" Garnet stirred form her stupor to look at Diamond. "What's wrong, Diamond?" Everyone else ignored her and went on frolicking. "The flowers!" Diamond cried, running to Garnet and forcing her to stand. "They're not right! There's something really wrong here! Use your power! Feel!" Garnet stared at her in confusion before closing her eyes and reaching out with her mind. Almost instantly she snapped back, screaming. "Run! Everyone! GET OUT OF HERE!" "What did you see?!" Diamond asked frantically. "Demons!" Garnet replied shakily. "They're everywhere! This entire field is full of them!" Diamond gasped, then turned. "Did you hear that?! We have to get out of here!" The others ignored her. Topaz continued making a daisy chain. Sapphire was staring at the sky. Obsidian and Amethyst were staring at clouds, but had stopped murmuring now. Emerald was taking long, slow sniffs of a flower. Diamond ran to Topaz and shook her. "Topaz! Come on! We have to get out of-" Topaz turned her face to look at Diamond. She recoiled in horror, falling backwards. Topaz's eyes were blank and white, and her skin had gone incredibly pale and looked as if it were stretched over her bones. She stared at Diamond a minute before returned to her daisy chain, slowly weaving one flower in with the others. "What's going on?!" Diamond wailed, looking at Emerald. Her eyes were blank as well, and the bones in her face stood out like a skeleton's. "I think the flowers are draining their energy." Tuxedo Onyx reported, lifting Obsidian's face to examine it. Garnet shuddered as she peeked into Sapphire's upturned face. "Majorly creepy!" She moaned. "And that could have been me!" Topaz shuddered slowly and began to rise, turning her head to look at Diamond. "Destroy." She whispered softly. "Destroy the light." The other Senshi climbed to their feet as well. "Destroy." They murmured, reaching for Diamond with fingers that twitched. "Oh, shit." Diamond muttered, backing away from the reaching hands. "Now what?!" "Attack them?" Tuxedo Onyx asked, stumbling back from Obsidian. "No!" Diamond cried, glaring at him. "These are still my friends! They're just under evil influence! We can't hurt them!" Garnet stared hard at Topaz's face. For an instant, her eyes changed, and flashed a familiar black. Garnet flinched as she recognized those eyes. "They're being controlled by Ivy." She told Diamond in a low tone. "Oh, dear." Diamond sighed, rubbing her face with one hand. "I wish Lune were here. Do we attack? Or should we try to get them out otherwise?" "Diamond!" Tuxedo Onyx snapped his fingers. "Your healing power! It might be able to cure them." Diamond stared at him as she nodded. "Yeah, it might!" With a deep breath, she turned to face the close-pressing group. "Everlasting Love Purify!!" The golden light wrapped around each Senshi, hitting their eyes and going into their throats. Topaz choked and spat out green mist, eyes clearing. The others each began coughing or spitting out wisps of mist, color returning to their cheeks. Diamond heard a scream of anger as Sapphire finally rubbed her eyes and glanced brightly at Diamond. "What happened?" She inquired curiously. Diamond laughed a little, then fell over. "Diamond!" Garnet exclaimed, trying to get her friend to sit up. It was no use. Their leader was out cold. "She's probably drained." Tuxedo Onyx told Garnet, checking Diamond's pulse. "Healing takes a lot of strength." "Healing?" Amethyst asked, blinking. "Who was healed? Can someone explain what the heck happened?" "You don't remember?" Garnet asked, sweat-drops forming on her head. "Just looking at the clouds." Amethyst said cheerfully. "And then Diamond falling over." Topaz frowned. "I remember muttering something.like, 'toy' or something. Were we playing?" "I think there was a drug in the flowers to lower their guard and make them giddy." Tuxedo Onyx confided to Garnet. "I remember." Sailor Obsidian said, voice muted and strange. Garnet turned to look at her. "You remember what happened? About you guys trying to attack us? Diamond saving you by healing you? Green mists?" "No." Obsidian said, giving her a look as if she were crazy. "I remembered where I put my koosh-ball!! It's been missing since last week, but now I remember that I put it in my pocket!" Garnet stared at her before falling over. "What?!" She spluttered. "Oh, I remember all that other stuff too." Obsidian said earnestly. "But my koosh-ball's been lost for so long-" Garnet abruptly smacked her upside her head. "Be quiet!" She ordered. "We have to get out of here!" "How?" Sapphire asked, staring around the meadows. "This place seems unend- " The flowers suddenly twisted on their stems and grew gray. The grass wilted, turning brown. A harsh wind blew over the land, and the sky turned black. Heat pressed up from the ground. Within seconds, the meadows had become a desert. Lightning flashed from swollen clouds, and thunder roared, but no rain fell. The flowers crumbled into dust that was blown up by the wind, turning into a dust storm. Emerald shielded her eyes from the painful dust. "What's happening?" She cried. "I don't know, but brace yourself." Topaz warned, an arm flung over her eyes. "I wish Diamond was awake." Amethyst admitted, kneeling by their still leader. There was no reply to this. Chunks of earth began to be lifted away by the wind. The mountains in the distance seemed to fall apart and crash, shaking the ground. Cracks appeared in the ground, snaking in thin lines between the scouts. With a huge roar, the ground split apart into deep chasms with only small pillars of land in between. The scouts immediately found themselves scrambling for land and getting separated by the huge abyss "Guys!" Topaz screamed, reaching for the small pillar that had Obsidian and Amethyst. "We're all right!" Obsidian called in reassurance. Emerald waved from the one she shared with Sapphire. "You okay, Garnet?" She called. Garnet peeked out from behind Topaz. "Is it over?" She quavered. Tuxedo Onyx grinned down at her. "We're all alright." He told her. "The earthquake seems to have subsided for now." "Where's Diamond?!" Sapphire screamed across, frantically searching the land. "She's unconscious, remember?!" "She might not have gotten to a pillar!" Garnet gasped, the bottom dropping out of her stomach. "Look!" Amethyst cried, pointing. On a very small, rickety-looking pillar farther out than the others lay a prostrate form. The rock beneath Diamond was crumbling rapidly, and already her hands and feet were in midair. "Diamond!" Topaz screamed. "Wake up!" Everyone gasped as a large chunk of Diamond's pillar fell away. Her torso and head were on nothing, now. She began to fall backwards. "Diamond!" All the Senshi gasped as one as she slipped over the edge. And did not fall. Garnet stopped sobbing into Topaz's arm to stare. Diamond was lying flat on her back in the middle of the air while the pillar she had been on crumbled into dust. Very slowly and carefully, she began to float towards the closest pillar, the one with Sapphire and Emerald on it. "Are we dreaming?" Obsidian whispered. "Is she using some sort of power?" Amethyst murmured. Garnet was too stunned to say anything, but she reached out with her power, trying to sense what was happening. A tangible dark aura was glittering faintly under Diamond. She could hardly detect it, and had it been any fainter, she probably wouldn't have felt it at all. As it was, it was weak, just strong enough to keep Diamond floating in the air towards the pillar. As Emerald and Sapphire caught her, the presence faded almost completely away, though Garnet could still feel it watching. She shuddered, and withdrew quickly. The aura of whatever thing it was, was powerful and strange. She hoped it was on their side. Emerald hugged Diamond fiercely. "Hey, you okay?!" "She's still knocked out, Emerald." Sapphire told her. "Eh-heh-heh-I knew that." Emerald laughed lamely. With a sudden rumble, the earthquake returned in full force. All the pillars were instantly smashed and crumbled to the abyss, with the scouts still on top of them. "YEEEEEAH!!!!!" Obsidian screamed, clutching onto Amethyst. "HELP MEEEEE!!!! Topaz wailed, Garnet throttling her. "Well, aside from the fact I'm falling myself, I would!!!" Tuxedo Onyx said matter-of-factly, smiling as best he could at Topaz. "WE ARE ALL GOING TO DIE!!!!!" Sapphire announced, grabbing Diamond's hand. They fell for what seemed like eons. Down and down and down. SPLASH!!!!! Sapphire hit the water hard. She gasped as the wind was torn out of her, and breathed salt water. Coughing and spluttering, she fought her way to the faint surface, lungs burning. Just she felt they would explode, someone caught her ankle. "MMHPFG!!" She screamed in the water, clawing at the hand. Sapphire!! It's me!! Don't freak, please!! Sapphire stopped clawing at Garnet's hand, but she was too scared and freaked out to respond. I can't swim very well! Help me! Sapphire nodded, even though she knew Garnet couldn't see, and began frantically flailing towards the surface, lungs dying for a breath. With a roar, she exploded into the air, gasping and clutching at her throat. "Air!" She gasped. "Oh, wonderful, blessed, glorious thing. Love air. Oh, yes." Garnet choked and vomited water onto the surface. Wiping her mouth, she glanced around. "So.where are we now?" Sapphire stared around at the dark sea and cloudless night sky filled with stars. "I-I have no idea." She murmured. "I can't recognize any constellations in those stars at all." "Where're the others?!" Garnet gasped, filled with sudden dread. "What if they drowned?!" "What if Diamond's still unconscious?!" Sapphire cried. "I've got to go down to see!" Someone came up nearby, spluttering and coughing. "Is anyone else alive?" Amethyst called. "We're here!" Garnet called with relief. "As are we." Emerald said, paddling up with Topaz. "Five here, three missing." Topaz said grimly. "Where is Obsidian? Tuxedo Onyx? Where's Diamond? She was knocked out! What if she's still sinking?!" Sapphire glanced down into the unfathomable depths. "We can't do anything for them now. We just have to wait and see who rises and who doesn't." Topaz bit her lip, but stayed on the surface, dog-paddling slightly to keep afloat. Sapphire sighed and leaned back on the water's cushion. She was tired, and floating was the next best thing to sleeping. Dreamily, she wove her fingers through her air, trying not to think of how deep the water was, or what could have been swimming just below her. Silence prevailed for a few moments. A sudden "WUMPH!" broke the quiet as a few feet away, Tuxedo Onyx gasped for air, Obsidian in his arms. She was very pale and still, but slowly she took a ragged breath before coughing up about a gallon of water. "You guys!" Garnet said happily, floundering over to them. "Are you all right, Obsidian? Onyx?" "We're all right." Obsidian managed to gasp, smiling weakly at Garnet. "Is everyone here?" "All but Diamond." Garnet admitted. "She-she was unconscious, Obsidian, remember?" Obsidian sighed and hung her head. "I hope she's okay." She muttered. Gently they swam back to the group. For five long minutes, no one spoke or moved, save for the occasionally desperate paddling to keep afloat. "Look." Amethyst said finally. "I don't know what we're waiting for, but if Diamond's not coming up now, she probably won't be coming up again." The bluntness of this statement made the quiet that followed very uncomfortable. Everyone was very still. "Let's just try to swim for the nearest shore, all right?" Amethyst asked, starting to swim off. "If we swim long enough in one direction, we're bound to find some land." Slowly, the Senshi moved water-logged arms and legs to follow Amethyst. No one talked or cried. Their feelings were numbed, for now. Amethyst sighed as she paddled on. She couldn't think of Diamond, couldn't think of her sacrifice- WHOOOSH!!!! Amethyst yelled and frantically paddled backwards as something flew up from the water just in front of her. It hovered in the air above their heads, frantically gasping and spitting and coughing. Topaz squinted up at it, joy beating fast in her heart. "Diamond?" She called hopefully. From above their came a stream of curses. "Who the hell flung me into the middle of the friggin' ocean when I was unconscious?!?!" Diamond yelled, kicking out angrily. "Oooh, man! I think I lowered the water level at least three inches!! Bleaugh!!" "Diamond!!" Garnet screamed. "You're alive?!" "Of course I am." Diamond retorted crossly. "I hurt too much to be dead. We're talking a major belly-flop, here. Ouchies." "Um-Diamond?" Emerald inquired. "Yes?" "You're floating." Diamond looked down at her in amazement, then at her body. "ITAI!!!" She shrieked. "Get me down!!" "You're not doing it yourself?" Tuxedo Onyx asked. "Does it LOOK like I am, you idiot?!" Diamond yelled angrily. "Garnet! What the heck's doing this to me?" "Ummm." Garnet said helpfully, scanning Diamond with her power. Something shoved her mind roughly away before she could tell what it was. Power surged behind her eyelids as she cried out in pain. "What is it?!" Diamond called down. "Whatever it is, it doesn't want me knowing it's there!" Garnet called back grimly. "Want me to try again?" "No, you'll get injured." Diamond took a deep breath, then said calmly to the air. "Excuse me, whoever it is that has me picked up, I would be very grateful if you would drop me back down." A low chuckle answered her. "So you don't appreciate me saving your life." "Oh, not at all-" Diamond stopped with a gasp of recognition. "Damon?" She cried softly, anger and hatred coursing through her. Damon chuckled. "Not bad, goldie." He confirmed as the air around her darkened slightly. "What do you want?!" Diamond demanded. "Why'd you save me?!" She angrily twisted in the air, trying to find how she was being held. "You deserve a better death." Damon said coldly and simply. "Preferably one done by me." "I feel so loved." Diamond snapped, struggling. There was a flash of black, and Diamond abruptly dropped into the water, managing to turn her fall into a swan dive just before she hit. "Jerk." She muttered when she reached the surface again. "What was that?" Obsidian asked curiously. "What?" Diamond asked, spitting out some water. "That one-way conversation up there." Emerald said, frowning. "Who were you talking to?" They didn't hear him, Diamond realized. She also realized-rather uncomfortably-that she didn't want them to know about Damon saving her. It would have seemed-weird. And it could possibly take away their trust in her. Saved by a general! She wouldn't trust herself either! "It was-someone." Diamond said, trying to toss her wet hair. "Don't know who. Didn't identify himself. Just told me I deserved a better death." At least I'm not lying too much to them, she thought, wincing. "Uh-huh." Garnet said, giving Diamond a look. "Well, okay, evil presence that is VERY powerful decides to save you. Would it be weird if I wondered why?" "Yes." Diamond said quickly. "Very weird. Very, very weird." She looked around desperately, then pointed to the ocean. "Oh, look! There's.water." "Yeah, that's a very uncommon thing in the ocean." Tuxedo Onyx said, giving her a suspicious look. "You sure your head wasn't damaged by that fall?" Amethyst asked soothingly. "Shut up." Diamond snapped. "I've seen an evil Spike look-alike, I drained all my energy saving you guys from being evil energy-sucking demons, I was dropped WHILE UNCONSCIOUS several hundred feet down onto a rock-hard ocean, I was saved by an evil-deity who wants god-knows-what reward, I'm wet, cold, tired, and MY HAIR IS GOING TO TAKE FOREVER TO DRY!!!! I HAVE REASONS TO BE UPSET AND NOT WANT TO TALK!!!!!!!" There was silence for a moment as everyone stared at her. "Um." Obsidian said after a moment. "There, there?" Diamond sighed. "Forget it. Just forget it." Garnet gasped and glanced uneasily around. "Something's coming." She told the others tersely. "What?" Emerald asked. "I don't know!" Garnet replied, craning her neck to look around. "I've just got this-feeling. And my head aches." There was a sudden, loud sucking sound, like water being drawn up into a very large straw. The sound went on and on as the seas began to grow rough. The water blackened, the sky grew gray. Foam appeared on waves the size of two story buildings that tossed the girls apart. "Try to stay close!" Diamond called as a wave picked her up and flung her down into the water. "Fat chance!" Amethyst yelled, ducking under as a huge wave rolled over her. Topaz looked around and went pale. She screamed something loudly to Diamond. "What?!" Diamond yelled, shaking water out of her ears. "I said," Topaz screamed, "it's a WHIRLPOOL!!" A huge maelstrom had appeared not fifty feet away. It was sucking up water like a giant draining, pulling the girls irresistibly towards it. The Senshi froze in horror, ignoring both lashing waves and current. "Swim!" Diamond ordered in a scream, beginning to free-style with long, practiced strokes. "Swim or you die!" Everyone began paddling furiously, but it was of little use. The whirlpool was immense, and far stronger and swifter than any of them. Even with frantic swimming, they were slowly pulled back. "Never mind!" Diamond called after five minutes of this when they were thirty feet away from the whirlpool. "Save your strength!! We'll need it to get out of that!!" Sapphire squinted hard at the maelstrom. "There's something funny about this." She muttered, peering as close as she could. Unnoticed to anyone but her, for one instant, there was a blip in the center of the whirlpool. Instead of raging water, there was a small patch of sunlight. It lasted for one second before being righted, but Sapphire had seen it. "Diamond!" She called over the maelstrom's roar. "This thing, this sea-it isn't real! This is all an illusion!" "Are you sure?" Diamond yelled back, keeping a tight grasp on Garnet, who was liable to be sucked under. "Positive!" Sapphire responded. "There was a blip in the water! We're still really on top of the beam!" "This feels awfully real!" Garnet cried, listening to their conversation. "No doubt!" Sapphire shouted. "But if Ivy's mind was strong enough to try to penetrate our identities, don't you think she could set up a very realistic illusion also?" Diamond nodded grimly. "All right, it's definitely a mirage. But how do we get out of it?" "Whatever it is, do it quick!" Tuxedo Onyx yelled, also eaves-dropping. The vortex loomed up in front of them, not ten feet away now. The pull was tremendous. "If only we knew how to do a Sailor Teleport!" Topaz mused wishfully, taking a deep breath. "But our bodies are still where they were!" Sapphire pointed out. "This is all just in our minds!" "Well, we control what's in our minds, don't we?!" Obsidian yelled. "So let's try it here! I'm imagining this whirlpool gone!" She furrowed her brow, and concentrated. There was a huge hiss of steam. The vortex still churned, but it was now moving slower and slower. The Senshi frantically back-pedaled, swimming away from the center as best they could, and managing to gain some ground. "I'm trying too!" Garnet gasped. She shut her eyes tightly. The maelstrom gave a huge belch. The currents stopped tugging all together as the mighty whirlpool seemed to collapse in on itself and vanish. There was one last huge pull, as its final defiance, then the deadly water disappeared. The sky cleared and the water grew warm and blue again. Diamond gasped for air. "Quick thinking by Obsidian and Garnet! Good work, you two!" "Do you think we could imagine ourselves out of here?" Amethyst asked. "I should think-what the-" Diamond stared as a purple bunny hopped by on the water. It waved at her before going on. Topaz giggled. Diamond shot her a look. "What? It's cute! As long as we can, I'm going to have fun doing this!" "Just not bunnies." Sapphire said with a shudder. "Bunnies scare me. They're too fluffy." "You are afraid of bunnies." Tuxedo Onyx stated, sniggering slightly. "They're too fluffy." Sapphire muttered. The purple bunny seemed to suddenly realize it was over water, and dropped into the ocean. "Hey!" Topaz protested. Another bunny hopped by, and sank in its turn. Sapphire and Topaz glared at each other. A huge group of bunnies came thundering by on the water. One by one, they either fell, got burned out, or got into huge fights that inevitably ending in them killing themselves. "You're kinda sick, you know that, right?" Emerald told Sapphire, sweat- dropping. Sapphire grinned and giggled a little. A large, gleaming-white cruise boat suddenly appeared on the water. A long rope ladder extended from the top deck all the way down to the water. Cheers and music could be heard from on board. Diamond grinned. "How about we get out of this water?" Tuxedo Onyx whistled. "A cruise ship, huh? Nice choice." "Thank you." Diamond said, giving Garnet a bit of a lift as she struggled to start up. Topaz clambered on after Garnet. "You think up a big cruise ship and you can't bother to think of a helicopter or an elevator?" She grumbled teasingly at Diamond. "I'm tired." Garnet complained from above. "Do we have to use a ladder?" Obsidian whined. Diamond growled. The ladder disappeared (Garnet and Topaz fell back into the water with a splash) and a gleaming, metallic pad five feet across took it's place. "Since everyone has to be a critic," Diamond announced, "we are traveling by hover pad." "SWEET!" Amethyst exclaimed, climbing onto it and jumping up and down. The others followed a little more fastidiously. Emerald frowned at the hover pad. "Get up, you." She ordered crossly. Obediently, the hover pad began to slowly ascend. It inched up foot by foot, verrrrry slowly. "Can't it go faster?" Sapphire complained. The hovercraft seemed to pause for a moment, considering this. Then suddenly it shot up like a sky rocket, zooming up in great leaps without pausing to let them off on the ship. The Senshi were blasted into the sky, and forced down onto the cold metal by the force of the air. "I only wanted a little faster!" Sapphire wailed, trying to grab the slippery surface. "I don't think it's you doing this!" Tuxedo Onyx gritted, slipping and sliding as air currents buffeted him around. "He's right." Diamond said, covering Topaz with one arm and Garnet with the other. "It's gotta be Ivy." "Do you think we can stop it?" Obsidian asked, clutching Amethyst tightly with one hand and nervously glancing over the edge. "Like, with will power, or something?" "If we stopped a whirlpool, we can stop this." Amethyst said confidently. "Let's hope so." Garnet cautioned. "Ivy's probably mad, now. We stopped her fun. She's like a little child, almost." "And Spike's her loving father." Topaz said with a laugh. Very suddenly, the cold metal beneath them evaporated into thin air. Every girl let out a shriek as they began to fall. Hands clawed at the air, feet lashed out, searching for something to land on. "Imagine a surface!" Diamond yelled, trying hard not to panic. "A strong surface! Imagine the hover pad again!" No one listening. They were too busy screaming. Diamond was having a hard time herself. Every time she tried to concentrate, she would look down and see the ocean so far below.. A large metallic surface blinked and blipped a few times just below her feet. Come on, Diamond prayed, trying to calm herself. Come on. Everyone's falls ended with a hard "SMACK!" onto the hover pad that had reappeared. Amethyst began kissing the icy metal. "Blessed, blessed surface." She said reverently. "Nice and solid." "I'm never taking an airplane again!" Topaz declared, sitting up. "I'm never leaving the ground again!" Obsidian added, nervously peering over the rim of the craft. "I think you'll have to at some point, Obsidian." Diamond said with a laugh. "Or it'll be hard to get to a battle site." "I'll hitchhike." Obsidian said, closing her eyes and leaning back from the edge. "And now can we PLEASE get out of here? Before the psycho-woman pulls another trick on us." "She's right." Emerald agreed. "Jeez! Energy-sucking flowers, a maelstrom, and the disappearing hovercraft. What's next?" "A bunny invasion." Sapphire predicted darkly. "Garnet?" Diamond asked. "Can you see if you can find a weak spot in this illusion?" Garnet gulped. "I'll try." She smiled weakly. "Though that fall scared the pee out of me." Her eyes closed and her breathing slackened as she began to searching with her mind, going up and around. Diamond watched her for a second before glancing at the others, who were staring at her also. "Well, blast it, what are you waiting for?!" She demanded. "You all can help, too! Go for it! We've got to get out of here!" Surprised, the Senshi immediately obeyed, but Amethyst quietly told Obsidian, "Diamond's acting really snippy." Diamond was indeed tense. She had been thinking about the fall. She wasn't certain, but it had seemed she had been to freaked out to completely summon the hover pad. It almost felt like someone else had had a hand in it. And she had a pretty good idea who that person was. "Ah HA!" Garnet yelled, breaking Diamond out of her reverie. "Got you!" "A chink?" Diamond inquired. "A definite chink." Garnet said proudly. "This entire illusion has this big dome top, and at the highest part there's this hole. I think it's just big enough for us to get through, as long as it stays still long enough." "Stays still long enough?" Topaz asked. "Don't like the sound of that." "You shouldn't." Garnet told her brightly. "The thing is twitching, slightly. There's the possibility it might start moving at any minute, making it very hard to get to." "And what if it moves while we're moving back to the real world?" Tuxedo Onyx asked. "Um-" Garnet laughed nervously. "It might chop our mental selves into irreparable halves." Amethyst sighed. "And there's no other way out, is there." "Nope." "Perfect. Just peachy." Amethyst stood up and stretched. "Well, kiddies, let's go get ourselves sliced into mental pieces by the evil revolving exit!" "I hate my life." Sapphire muttered, standing also and holding Amethyst's hand as Garnet grabbed her. The Senshi got into a circle, all holding hands tightly. Each face wore an expression either grim or determined. Tuxedo Onyx watched this with interest. "Aren't you going to join?" Obsidian asked, noticing him standing back. He smiled. "I'll use my own transportation route, thank you." He bent his knees then took an enormous leap towards the sky, heading straight up far longer than the jump could have propelled him. When it seemed he was about to fall back, there was a sudden fizzing noise, and Tuxedo Onyx vanished. Obsidian yelled in worry. "Tuxedo Onyx!" A silver top hat and head popped down from the sky and grinned at her. "Don't worry! The space is here!" "Get in there!" Obsidian ordered. "Before it starts moving and chops your virtual head off!" Tuxedo Onyx gave a last wave, then vanished. Diamond took a deep breath. "Okay, let's do this. Everyone imagine themselves flying!" "I don't know if I can do this!" Topaz wailed. "What if we lose concentration?" The hover pad below them blipped slightly, blue seas starting to show in places through cool metal. "She's messing with the pad again!" Emerald cried. "FLYING TIME NOW!!!!!!!" Diamond roared, shooting off of the disappearing hover pad, dragging Garnet and Topaz with her. "Hai!" Amethyst agreed, levitating as best she could and beginning to fly up, Obsidian and Sapphire hanging on for dear life. "THIS IS SO NOT COOL!" Topaz wailed, gripping Diamond's hand tightly. Diamond yelped at the pain. "Topaz-baka!! Stop wringing my hand! You'll make me lose my concentration!" Garnet was flying now, too. She gave Topaz an encouraging look. "Come on, Topaz! This might be your only chance ever to fly! Why don't you enjoy it?" Topaz gulped, but slowly rose in the air beside Diamond and Emerald. "Nearing the chink between realms." Sapphire reported, eyes focused on the tiniest rent in the sky. "Everyone be careful." Diamond advised. "We don't know what else we have to go through-" "Diamond!" Garnet said sharply. "The space is starting to move!" "Charge it! NOW!" Diamond yelled. As one, the Jewel Senshi soared upwards, flying insanely fast towards the small chink that was beginning to turn- WHAM!!!!! "ITAI!!!!" Obsidian wavered and teetered on the edge of the beam, flailing her arms and trying to stay on. "Whoa." Tuxedo Onyx yelled, grabbing her arm and yanking her back. "Are you going to be doing this a lot?" "Depends." Obsidian said, a lot cockier than she felt. "Will you be there to catch me every time?" Tuxedo Onyx's eyes flashed something like surprise then that only Obsidian saw. She felt herself grow hot. What was I thinking? She wondered. But, in a very low voice, so no one else heard, he whispered, "As long as I can, before you grow your own wings." Diamond only saw Tuxedo Onyx turn away from Obsidian, and that Obsidian, face a strange mix of very pale and very red, was staring after him, breath coming in little gaps. Her eyes narrowed. Now here was a mystery she wanted to investigate now. But it'd have to wait until she had time to cleverly ferret out what had happened from Mary after they fought this battle. Spike was tutting at them, amazement hidden in his voice. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Bad Sailor Scouts. You interrupted our fun." "They got free." Ivy whispered, tears forming in her eyes. "They don't want to play my game with me anymore." "There, there, love.' Spike said, patting Ivy's head soothingly. "We'll get them, yet." "Oh, no, you won't!" Diamond cried, pointing a foreboding finger at them. "This little rendezvous' ending right here!"  
  
Spike smiled nastily. "To be sure, I'm impressed, Miss Diamond. And here I thought you lot were just a bunch of stupid, klutzy, weak little girls." "Nope." Topaz said proudly. "We're stupid, klutzy, weak, little superheroes." "Thank you for such a lovely description, Topaz." Emerald said, sighing. Spike gave a small laugh. "Exactly what I was going to say myself, actually." "Obviously, your opinion of us has grown." Amethyst muttered. "So much, in fact, that I decided to call a mutual friend of ours!" Spike said in tones of false cheer and true evil pleasure. "Oh, Damon!" Diamond's heart sank. "Oh, no." She whispered. A low, drawling voice came from behind them. "Why, hello, Spike!" It said in tones of deepest surprise. "How are you? And what a surprise to see all our friends here?" Diamond slowly turned around to face that knowing-smirk and dark blue eyes. Her heart twisted seeing his face. She didn't like it. Had to cover it. "Why, Damon!" She cried in mock delight. "What a lovely surprise! Who ever thought we'd meet our worst enemy here, several stories above the ground, with two other generals?" She sighed and shook her head. "So many strange coincidences." Damon felt a grin twisting on his lips. "Very strange indeed." "Not good, Diamond." Garnet murmured in her ear. "Three strong evil ones against seven-eight-oh, whatever, the odds aren't good for us. Do we retreat?" "Retreat?" Diamond asked loudly, giving Garnet an incredulous look and drawing everyone's attention. Quieter, she said, "No, Garnet. We never, ever retreat. Never. Not even if it means death to stay." The breath caught in Damon's throat as she proudly raised her head after making this little speech. He had promised her death, and she accepted it? This was strange. A fight between the two sides now would probably result in the instant destruction of the Senshi team. It would be an easy fight for them. But the look in Diamond's eyes was dangerous, he saw that clearly. When she said she would fight to death, it meant she would fight to the death. And probably go kicking and screaming, and taking bits of them with her. "We're going to die." Sapphire muttered, taking a fighting stance and looking at Spike and Ivy. "Amethyst, Obsidian, Garnet, Emerald, Topaz, and Tuxedo Onyx-take on Spike and Ivy, all right?" Diamond ordered, not tearing her eyes from Damon. "Sapphire, you're with me. We tackle Damon." She felt her team get into place behind and beside her. "Good luck, all." She whispered. "Ready, aim." "CHARGE!!!!" Topaz and Obsidian led the attack on Spike and Ivy. Each leapt into the air and came down, aiming for their heads. At the last second, Spike and Ivy vanished, only to reappear a few paces away. Topaz and Obsidian landed and shot after them again, straight on this time. Topaz yelled in triumph as she knocked Ivy's knees out from under her. Spike roared in anger, grabbed Topaz by her hair, and flung her away from his girlfriend, who was sobbing quietly. Topaz rolled along the beam and turned back in anger, getting ready to charge again. Tuxedo Onyx whirled in with his cane, thrusting it at Spike, who, with a cocky smile on his face, easily dodged. The cane flitted back and forth, coming close to hitting Spike, but always missing but the barest of inches each time. Emerald tried to come down with a kick from above, but Spike had spotted her, and he grabbed her ankle and flipped her back into Onyx. Both went tumbling back. Meanwhile, Garnet and Ivy faced off in a terrible, heated battle. Sweat poured down Garnet's face, her eyelids twitched. Ivy smiled coyly and triumphantly. "Eyes feeling itchy?" She inquired. "Feeling the need to blink?" "Not.particularly." Garnet lied, wondering how on Earth she had managed to get herself into a staring contest with Ivy. "Your eyelids are getting heavy." Ivy sang, swaying back and forth slightly. "Um, Garnet?" Amethyst asked, looking at her from behind Ivy's head. "What are you doing?" "Staring contest." Garnet replied tensely, not looking up. "Oh, for." Amethyst growled, hitting Ivy on the back of her head. Ivy snapped forward, blinking, her head hitting the hard metal with a crack. Spike turned, saw what had happened, and yelled in anger, charging Amethyst. "She made me lose the staring contest!" Ivy wailed. "Spoilsport." Garnet muttered. "Can't accept that you just lost." Spike lunged for Amethyst, who dodged easily, using well-coordinated muscles both to dodge and then to push off with her leg, slamming her shoulder into Spike's stomach. He grabbed her shoulder and threw Amethyst a few paces. She flipped in the air, landed neatly on the ground, and kicked off again, aiming for his legs. Spike jumped, and managed to smash one of his heels down on Amethyst's thigh. She winced, but ignored the pain, standing and preparing to fight again. Lacie had trained for several years, building up her strength against people who picked on her for her hair color or strange, quiet tendencies. She felt far more comfortable fighting physically than with her mind. Strength was her realm, and she was master. So she waited confidently for Spike's next move, relaxed and ready. Spike frowned. The purple-headed Senshi was stronger than he had expected. He sprung up and flipped pushing off with his hands to aim his feet at her. Amethyst dodged, and delivered a strong punch to the back of his neck. Spike hissed and turned, giving Amethyst a side kick in her back. Amethyst felt the thump resound on her back and propel her forward, hitting her head against the beam and making her nose bleed. She groaned and turned, giving Spike a kick to his knees that sent him flat on the ground beside her. While the Spike-Amethyst confrontation continued, Sapphire and Diamond faced Damon off. For a few seconds, they had stared at each other, sizing the enemy up. Or actually, Damon eyed Diamond as she glared at him, and Sapphire wondered at the look of hatred in Diamond's eyes. With a shout, Diamond threw herself at Damon, charging shoulder first. He dodged to the side, aiming a blow at her head. She ducked and swung a punch at his face. He blocked it and grabbed her arm, throwing her to the cold beam. Sapphire ran forward, ready to attack-but she suddenly hit a cold, black electric field that made her cry out and leap back. Damon had put a shield up around their fight. He obviously wanted to fight Diamond alone. Sapphire watched helplessly, unable to hear anything past the crackling of black lightning. She was the most rational of the Senshi. In school, she was always quickest at assessing a situation. It was clear she could be of no help to Diamond by banging on a shield. She gave her a last desperate look before going to try to get the others' attention. In the shield, Diamond got to her feet immediately, ignoring the headache the metal had given her. She eyes focused on the black shield rimming in a dome around them, and extending in a floor several feet to each side off the beam. She was trapped. Damon saw her blue eyes flick about. He half-smiled. She was like a caged animal. Probably she'd start pacing any moment. But Diamond didn't start pacing. She fixed Damon with a cold, steely glare. "Well?" She asked crossly. "We are fighting, are we not?" "Indeed." Damon replied, judging the distance for a leap and fingering his sweet little blade. One leap, one slice. Diamond saw him measuring the ground with his eyes. She tensed, hands clenched, body straight but ready. She saw Damon's hand twitch involuntarily towards his right side. His blade, she remembered sharply. He'll jump and use his blade on me. I must get ready to dodge. Damon saw her watching him carefully. She had seen him flexing his hand. He smiled, Clever girl. She had seen his plan. He had been foolish. But the jump would still work. And if he just got a hold on her, he could drain her life energy easily. Diamond knew he had something. His eyes look shifty. Well, more shifty than usual. But they hadn't changed to black yet. That was good. No animalistic qualities. Just blue eyes. Deep, dark, terrible blue eyes. The world shifted underneath her feet slightly. She held her hand out to steady herself. A hot power was flying underneath her skin. That warm feeling she had tried to block out, the one from before, was back in full force. She shuddered slightly, and gasped for air. Damon's eyes narrowed. Diamond had gone pale very suddenly. She was taking deep breaths, and was rubbing her arms slightly. But her eyes-they seemed less cold, less harsh. A warm light played in them, now, a twinkle of a star. A light breeze had managed to penetrate the shield. It wove around Damon, tickling his hair and ruffling it slightly before wisping across to Sailor Diamond. It lifted her hair and wound gently around her neck, murmuring to itself in the way that wind has. Damon's traitorous eyes fastened on the strands of Diamond's hair blowing about her face. Once again, he was struck by the fact that she was pretty. Beautiful, even, in a strange, young-girl way. She seemed almost like a statue, save for her moving hair and ruffling skirt, and those eyes that were peering at him now from under golden bangs. Stop it! He yelled at himself. Stop it, stop it, stop it!! You're just torturing yourself, Diamond rebuked. He's going to try to KILL you, remember, genius?! You're supposed to kill her! Forget her stupid hair!! Forget his eyes!! Get ready to fight!! He's sizing you up! He's going to charge! She's going to throw that stupid halo. WOULD YOU WAKE UP!? "GOLDEN HALO ATTACK!" Diamond yelled, breaking out of her trance to send an attack spinning at her enemy. Damon dodged, and blasted the halo as it came spinning around for another blow. "Icy Volcano!" He roared, sending a huge fountain of ice at her. Diamond leapt away just in time, and the blast formed a crater on the beam. Diamond smiled in triumph, and then screamed in pain. She had overshot on her leap, and had hit the black shield. Lightning bolts centered in on her heart, somehow trapping her against the field. Tears welled in her eyes. The pain was incredible. Shots directly to her heart. The pain went on and on, and it definitely didn't lessen. If anything, it intensified. Diamond desperately tried to shove off the wall, but her hands stuck fast and lightning bolts took a liking to them as well. She bit back the cry was threatening to escape her lips. "Never cry." She whispered. "Never. Never. Never." Then her world came apart, rent at the edges, as one, huge, black as night lightning bolt shot at her chest. It seemed to hit more on the inside then on the outside, for it felt like someone had taken her heart and torn it in two. The promise of seconds before forgotten, she let loose a cry from the depths of her soul. Damon cold, small heart had twisted painfully in his chest as Diamond had struggled against the shield. He winced when she had tried to shove away and been caught. But the scream that rent through the air in the shield only to be stopped by cold black lightning-it was beyond all he could bear. Before he knew what he was doing, he was hovering in the air and flying quickly towards the trapped golden figure. The pain had almost driven Diamond to the brink of insanity by this point. Her sight was dimmed in black splotches. Lightning zigzagged on the inside of her eyelids. She felt her eyes roll back in her head as she fainted. But the pain was still there, haunting her unconscious, forcing her awake, forcing her to live with the terror. And, as suddenly as it had started, the pain was gone. Diamond had barely time to register this before she fainted dead away. For a second, Damon was sure he'd been too late. Diamond's eyes rolled back in her head as he quickly pulled her away from the shield. But her breathing was coming in ragged gasps. She lived still. He frowned, staring down at the golden figure in his arms, then made a quick decision. He blackened the shield, making it completely opaque, then floated down to the metallic beam, where he gently placed the unconscious girl. Girl? Damon mentally slapped himself. Senshi. Soldier. Warrior. Enemy. Not girl. If he thought about her that way... Diamond was aware of a cool hand on her forehead. She blinked her eyes. She couldn't remember much, but she felt sore, and hot. Her muscles screamed with pain as she tried to rise. "Oh, God." She muttered. "Don't move." A cold voice informed her. Diamond froze absolutely still. Her eyelids hurt too much to open, but she'd recognize that voice anywhere. "What did you do to me?" She whispered. Forget toughness. Forget being a warrior. For now, she was Angie Pirko again, and she just wanted to cry. Damon hesitated at the sound of her voice. His plan to kill her now was going loop-de-loop, out the window. "You hit the shield." He said finally, as cold as he could. "It's got a high-intensity dark energy reading." "You should know." She muttered, Diamond coming back slightly. "It's your shield." Damon ignored the welling of guilt that sprung up in him. He went on gruffly, "A lot of it poured into you. You're lucky you're not dead." "I feel like I am." Diamond murmured, blinking as her eyes began coming back into focus. "I can't move. I can hardly see." "It's to be expected." Damon replied coldly. "Thank you for your sympathy." Diamond muttered, warrior face again lost to her regular self. She took a shuddery breath. She wanted desperately to cry. Damon's pretense slipped for an instant when he heard Diamond breath in sharply, like she was going to cry. And in that instant, with his guard down, his hand reached out and gently smoothed Diamond's hair. Diamond froze stock still for a moment. Was Damon being nice? She sighed deeply, like a small child. She was too tired to care. She lay on the floor, half asleep, while someone's hand gently ran itself over her hair. Before she knew what she was doing, her hand and arm moved up to touch Damon's fingers. The pain was gone. Damon nearly gasped in shock. An incredible feeling coursed through his veins, setting him on fire. For some reason, all he could do was stare at Diamond's face. She seemed almost asleep, excepting the fact that her hand had just moved up to touch his. A dreamy smile played lightly on her lips. His eyes zeroed in on those lips. His heart gave a funny jerk, twice as painful as the one before. There was a banging sound, and Damon's hand coiled away like a snake. He stood up, as smooth as silk, and looked disdainfully down at Diamond. "Lousy Senshi." He muttered. "This is too easy." Diamond heard this, and her heart fell to her stomach. Why should she care? They were enemies, for God's sake! And plus, she could move now! Unsteadily, she swayed to her feet, moving her arms and legs carefully. Sore, but no permanent damage. Good. She looked at Damon, eyes sharpening. Now, to get ready for a fight. But Damon was already gone. She was just in time to see him begin to slip through the shield. "Hey, wait!" She cried angrily. "Where are you going?! We've got a fight!" Damon looked back at her, eyes cool. "It's been called off-for account of stupidity and weakness on the part of the victim." He explained testily, beginning to slip through his shield. "So what are you going to do?! Leave me in this stupid shield till I'm stronger?!" Diamond yelled, anger and indignity overcoming her relief at not having to fight. Damon sighed. "You are a noisy brat, you know that, right?" The shield flickered and disappeared, and Damon walked away. Or at least he tried to. He hadn't gotten two steps before he was pounced upon by Obsidian and Topaz. "Jerk! Creep! You slimy filth!" Obsidian shrieked, punching Damon in the stomach. "What'd you do to our leader?!" Damon quickly flew up into the air, leaving the girls angrily leaping for him below. "She's too weak." He called down. "Might want to actually train a little. Otherwise this is like shooting asteroids in the asteroid belt." Spike had managed to detain the powerful Amethyst for a moment. "So?" He panted, flying up in the air by Damon. "How'd it go? Is she dead?" Damon jerked his head down at the golden Senshi who was being hugged and scolded by her teammates. Spike ground his teeth. "Jeez.what happened?" Damon laughed. "She's too weak! Man, you have no idea. Like fighting a kitten when you were expecting a tiger. All of them are like that." Spike shook his head. "Not Sailor Amethyst. That one's dynamite. Nearly had me once or twice there." Damon punched his friend playfully. "Seriously." "I was being serious." Spike said, his tone as flat as paper. "I don't know about Diamond, but these others are getting stronger. And they all care for each other very much. You saw how those two were trying to get into your shield." Damon shrugged. "Well, whatever. Diamond's no problem." "So what?" Spike demanded. "Time was you'd have killed her in a heartbeat! Competition or not!" "I have preferences, now." Damon told Spike. "And don't you think you'd better call Ivy?" Spike looked back and whistled. "Come on, pet! Time to go home! Ithengil's waiting for our energy collection!" "You got energy?" Damon asked, pleased. Spike grinned. "Oh, yeah. From all those little shrimps. The dream- flowers got them bad." "All of them?" "Ye-well," Spike shrugged. "Didn't seem to get your Blondie or the Guardian very well. Still, it's enough to keep the wrinkly one off our backs for now." "The kittens were fun to play with!" Ivy purred, floating up to Spike. "But I'm tired, Spiky. Let's go home." "Excellent idea, angel." Spike said with a grin. The two faded out of sight. Damon hesitated, then glanced down. Diamond was looking up at him, a small smile on her lips. He swallowed hard, and teleported back to the hideout as fast as he could before the overwhelming desire to go back down overcame him. "Hello? Earth to Diamond? Hello?" Diamond gazed up at the sky as Damon disappeared. She had caught the flickering of his eyes, and the impulsive swallow. She touched her hair lightly, thinking both dreamily and crazily. "Diamond? Hello? Yoo-hoo?" I wonder what that was all about, Diamond wondered. He can't like me, I know-he doesn't have a heart or anything- but maybe we could be friends? Maybe he can be healed or something. "DIAMOND!!!" "What?!" Diamond yelled back, snapped roughly out of her trance. "You were staring up at the sky and gazing like a lovesick cow." Obsidian said kindly. Diamond blushed. "It's just good to see the sky again. I thought for a sec I'd never see it again." Garnet nodded kindly. "We were really worried for you, Diamond. You have GOT to stop getting into these private fights with Damon! This is the second time!" "Don't I know it." Diamond sighed in melancholy. So sadly that the girls shot each other suspicious glances before smoothing them into kind smiles. "Let's go home." Topaz said, leaping down to the beam below them. "Great idea." Diamond said cheerfully, leaping down three stories before bothering to land. There was a yell from above. "Would you be CAREFUL?!" Garnet scolded, gingerly leaping down story by story. "Yes, Mom." Diamond said with a cocky grin, leaping down four stories to the ground. "Idiot." Garnet muttered, leaping fastidiously down. "Baka." Amethyst agreed, taking the stories two at a time. "You're not much better!" Topaz teased, landing beside Diamond on the ground. "Enough!" Sapphire groaned. "Let me go home and rest my aching butt. It's been kicked pretty bad today. All of our butts have." "No way!" Amethyst said enthusiastically. "I WHOMPED Spike! Did you see his face?! He was in shock! Haha! Senshi: 10, Bad guys-" "A million." Emerald said flatly. "We were beaten pretty badly." "Hey, they were the ones who ran, not us!" Obsidian replied indignantly. "After we were sucked into a crazy illusion in which we were bewitched, nearly drowned, dropped, and nearly sliced into itty-bitty pieces. And, oh yeah, then we fought some bad generals that nearly killed Diamond and still manage to be unscathed!" Emerald said, somewhat bitterly. "Top that up for one giant win for the Jewel Senshi!" "It was more of a win than you think, Emerald." Diamond said calmly, beginning to walk towards the gym. "What do you mean?" Emerald asked suspiciously. "Oh, nothing." Diamond replied absently. Garnet was in front of her and had her nails digging into Diamond's skin before she could blink. "All right, what happened?! Spill! You've been sighing all this time and looking completely out of it!! What the heck happened?!" Diamond only gave her a sugary smile. "I have no idea what you are talking about." She said sweetly, continuing to walk, looking around before calmly shedding her sailor clothes for her normal ones. "WHAT HAPPENED?!" Garnet wailed, pouncing on her friend. "TELL ME!!" Angie smiled as Garnet demorphed to Rachelle. "It's nothing, Shellie. Just whistling in the dark." "Nuh-uh!" Malorie insisted, grabbing Angie's other arm. "No way! You are acting completely crazy! One would almost think you had a crush or something." Her voice trailed away as her mouth snapped shut. "Oh my God. That's it, isn't it?!" "What?" Mary asked, looking at Angie, who was blushing a rosy pink. "She's got a crush on Dark, Handsome, and Evil." Malorie announced. "Thank you for yelling it so loudly." Angie said sourly. "In fact, I'm sure people in China are appreciating this bit of news." "So it's TRUE!" Elisha yelled, jumping on the word 'news'. "No!" Angie protested. "It's not! I just got in a few good hits, is all." "Uh-huh." Rachelle said, looking very unconvinced. "Right. And pink pigs fly out of my hair everyday at noon to sing a happy song." Angie shrugged. "I don't know. You're weird enough." She said, eyes twinkling. "Hey!" Rachelle protested. "You've been floating on Cloud Nine since you got out of that shield." Malorie persisted. "Come on, spill. What happened?" Angie sighed and looked mischievous. "Well, Damon and I." The girls leaned in close. "We." Even closer. ".fought and nearly killed each other!" She finished brightly. There was a crash as every girl fell to the pavement. "You are evil, you know that?" Lacie groaned. "It's good, though, if you don't have a crush on him, Angie." Marisa said seriously, getting up. "I don't." Angie said firmly, completely botching this by smiling broadly. "What?!" Malorie yelled, grabbing Marisa. "Are you nuts?! Why is it bad?!" Marisa merely looked at her. "Crushes turn to love. You know our curse." Malorie was silenced at that blow. She looked up to see Angie happily skipping away across the sidewalk. "Oh, boy." Marisa nodded grimly. "It appears we have a bit of a problem on our hands." 


	10. Three Mysterious Strangers! Angie meets...

CHAPTER SIX  
  
His mind was trapped in the dream again. Over and over, he went over it in his mind, wondering what had possessed him. Arriving.comments being exchanged.splitting up into fighting groups.trapping her in the shield. And, as always, a little shiver would run up his spine. The wind blowing her hair.her eyes. The problem, he decided, was when he had failed to attack immediately. The little witch had obviously done some spell on him, for what purpose he didn't know. It didn't matter. She'd pay for that, the sneak. "DAMON!" A sharp whack to his head by Ithengil's staff ended any of Damon's musings. "What?!" He yelled. "Would you wake up, boy!" Ithengil growled, thumping him on the knee. "Have off." Damon muttered. "I was thinking." "About the Senshi, no doubt." Ithengil snapped. "And about her." "Her?" Damon asked Spike in an undertone. Spike gave him an incredulous look. "Their leader. He's been raving about her for the past fifteen minutes. Practically foaming at the mouth." He shook his head admiringly. "Your Sailor Diamond must be some character, to make Ithengil so pissed off." "She's not my Diamond." Damon said with such hatred that Spike looked alarmed. "Chill man! I wasn't implying that she was!" He said, backing away slightly. "She'll be my kill, that's all." Damon said in a low voice, teeth bared slightly. Spike knew better than to argue with Damon on that one. Damon only got this way about killing when the scout was an extra treat. And usually the death was good. It would be fun to watch. As long as he wouldn't take too much time about it. Ithengil frowned at the two of them. "Enough, both of you! We are getting nowhere! This is the fourth time we've tried to drain this planet and get sufficient energy, and what do we get? Next-to-nothing!!!" "Chill out!" Katrina snapped, irritably. She'd had a rough time from Jedin. "We've tried, okay?! This isn't easy!! Dratted Senshi." "No excuses." Ithengil snapped. He turned to Spike and Ivy. "And you-you go in all cocky and come out being easily defeated!!! You didn't even manage to injure them that much, by your description! Worthless, brainless, spineless-" "Let's see you go out and take them on, Ithengil." Spike said coolly. "Let's see you get farther than we did." Ithengil's face twitched slightly. Spike laughed derisively. "See? It's easy enough to yell at us for failing, but a whole other thing when it comes to going out yourself!" THWACK! Ithengil gave Spike a resounding blow to his head. Spike winced as he rubbed his scalp. Ivy came floating over to hold Spike's head to her chest. "Poor baby." She murmured "Don't worry. Mummy will take good care of you." Ithengil raised his staff to bring it down on Ivy's head, but almost before he could blink, Spike was on his feet and had grabbed the crystal at the top. "Don't-you-dare." He whispered through gritted teeth. There was complete silence and stillness for a moment. Ithengil lowered his staff. Spike backed down to cradle Ivy protectively in his arms. "What's the plan?" Jedin asked, breaking the silence. Ithengil gave Spike a final glare before spinning around haughtily. "We have been approaching this the wrong way." Ithengil informed his audience huffily. "We've gone out in our true forms, tried to steal energy, and are usually spotted right away by-those-girls. The solution? We will disguise ourselves as human males-and females." He added hastily to Katrina. "No one will think it weird if a seemingly human male kisses a human female and vice-versa. No one will suspect we're stealing energy at the same time!" Uther sniffed. "Jedin and I went out in disguises." "Not very good ones." Ithengil said snippily. "You looked exactly like your real selves. A bit of color change to your hair, different eye color, different clothes, a hat-unrecognizable. The Scouts will have no clue what hit them." Jedin eyes sparked. "Simple, yet entirely brilliant. Excellent!" He threw Ithengil an admiring glance. "Not a bad plan for once, O Great Priest." Ithengil snorted. "Spare me your approval and get out there and get energy!!" * * * Angie gave the punching bag a mighty punch. It shot into the air and rocketed back at her. She knocked it again, too angry to feel the pain that shot up her arm. She battered the bag with a multitude of forceful blows, occasionally spinning to give it a kick. Why? Why, why, why, why, WHY?! She punctuated this last why with a terrific blow to the bag that nearly knocked it off its hook. Why hadn't she been able to pull her eyes away? Why had she grabbed his hand? What demon had made her do that?" It must have been him, she thought to herself. A spell, or an evil enchantment, or SOMETHING!!!!! You are NOT allowed to crush on evil awful beings!!! She drew back, and let loose with a fierce war cry as she charged the bag. It soared off the hook, hitting the far wall. Angie jumped on it, pounding it till it began tearing and ripping. "Hey, Ange?" Malorie called. "I think it's dead now!" "No, no, put it out of its misery." Elisha sniggered from nearby on the trapeze. Angela stared sheepishly down at the dead punching bag. "Sorry, Lune." She muttered, standing and dusting off her hands. She was surprised to find they were bleeding, slightly, from cuts where her knuckles had scraped the rough surface of the bag. "Never mind that, let me see your hand." Lune said severely, trotting over. Obediently, Angie lay her hands out palms down. Lune inspected her knuckles carefully before smiling. "Nothing permanent. I was worried for a moment that you had broken a bone in your hand, the way you were hitting that thing." Angie blushed. "I was thinking about Damon." She muttered. "Lousy creep. Said I was too weak to kill! ME!" "He IS much stronger than you." Demetri said from his spot beside Mary, who was taking a break. It was Saturday, and Lune and Demetri had insisted on their using their weekend for double training time. "I could have taken him." Angie said defiantly. "I could have sworn he was afraid of me!" "Not likely." Marisa said from the trapeze beside Elisha. "Those guys are tough. I don't think they'd be afraid of newbie-scouts like us." She swung forward and let go, somersaulting in the air before landing perfectly in a gymnast's pose. "Show off!" Malorie yelled affectionately from the monkey bars. Marisa gave her an indignant look before walking to the monkey bars and grabbing Mal's foot. "What are you doing?!" Malorie asked in alarm. With great care, Marisa removed both sock and shoe. Then, she brought her hand up- Malorie exploded in laughter, rocking precariously around. "No, please!" She laughed. "No tickling!" Marisa grinned in triumph. "Ah-HA!" Rachelle yelled. "We have a weakness!" She rushed forward and yanked sock and shoe off Mal's other foot and proceeded to tickle it. Mal was rocking around now, kicking and flailing, holding her stomach in laughter. "Please!" She begged. "I'm going to throw up!" Angie smiled at her friends' antics before sighing and stretching. "I think that's enough training for now. I want to go for a walk in the park. Scope out cute guys, eat ice cream.' She hesitated tantalizingly. "Me too! Me too!" Rachelle cried, running up, abandoning Mal's foot. "That would be fun." Lacie said, leaning down to touch her toes. "We've been practicing for nearly two hours now." "Can we, Lune? Demetri?" Mary pleaded. Lune shot Demetri a look. He gave her a furry smile. She sighed, then nodded. "Fine. One hour. Meet us back here after lunch." There was a chorus of happy yells as each girl ran for the door, grinning and whooping and just generally playing around with each other. Lune sighed and looked at Demetri. "You and I need to talk." * * * Rachelle sighed and stretched out on a park bench. The girls had found an ice-cream vendor in moments and were now enjoying their individual treats beneath a large tree. "You know, it doesn't get much better than this." She said wistfully. "Birds singing, squirrels playing, sun beaming down in a nice, non-sunburn-y way." Angie nodded, slowly licking what was left of her chocolate ice cream cone. "Mmmm." She looked up at the blue sky that peeked from in-between the boughs of the oak tree above them. "This is what we have to protect." She whispered. Mary nodded. "This, and the rain, and the clouds, and the grass, and the bugs, and everything in the entire world." She murmured. "Let's hope we don't fail." Malorie said, unusually serious. The seven girls sat in silence for a moment. "Nah!" Elisha said with a grin. "We won't fail." The silence broken, the girls chatted away again, occasionally teasing Angie about her insanity with punching bags or Malorie's ticklishness. Malorie laughed along with the group, but her eyes had kept being drawn to a young man with flame red hair a few paces away. He was reading a newspaper and eating a lemon ice pop. Malorie found herself studying his features. He was cute. No doubt about it, even if his hair was a weird color. His skin was nicely tanned, and his face looked chiseled and rugged. Emerald green eyes flickered rapidly over the paper. "He's a hunk, isn't he?" A voice said close to her ear. Malorie jumped and turned her head to find herself looking into Angie's twinkling eyes. "Uh, well, yeah." She replied brilliantly. Angie scrutinized him carefully. "Not bad. Definitely not bad. Not my type or anything-hair's too light-but still, he's d got a cuteness quotient going for him, there. What do you think, scouts?" The answers were varied. "Oh, yeah! Give him an eight! Look at those cheeks!" "Uh-uh. A nine, definitely. Look at his chest! That shirt's not that thick! His stomach's so flat and you can see his muscles!" "Give him a seven. His hair's too red." "You are so hypocritical! Your hair's freaking blue! He deserves an eight, at least!" "A TEN!!! LOOK AT HIS EYES!!!! OH, YES!!!" "You guys are nuts." Malorie said with a laugh. "You don't like him?!" Lacie demanded. "Can I have him?!" "No way! He isn't that cute!!!" Malorie declared, a little too loudly. The man in question raised his head to look at her quizzically. An expression of almost shocked disbelief crossed his face before vanishing into cool interest. Angie saw this, and her eyes sharpened. The man folded his newspaper and walked over to them. There was a huge rush in which every scout disappeared into the bushes, leaving Malorie alone. She gaped at the man. Why was he even walking in her general direction? She didn't even notice her friends' peculiar disappearance. The guy loomed above her, a quirky grin playing on his lips. "Hi, there." "Hi." Malorie said coolly, amazed at herself. "So I'm not that cute, huh?" Malorie blushed, embarrassed. "You heard that? You won't supposed to. It's rude to eavesdrop." "Thank you for informing me of this." He said dryly, brushing a flame-red lock out of his face. "My name's Charles Tamahome-Charlie." "Malorie Mackey." Malorie said, raising her head slightly. "Malorie Mackey, huh?" Charlie laughed. "M and M. You're like a candy." Malorie growled slightly. "Don't call me M&M!! I'm not food!" There was a huge giggle from the bushes behind her. Whispers and hisses echoed, and Angie suddenly tripped and fell at the man's feet. He stared down at her, eyebrows raised. "And you tell me not to eavesdrop?" He asked Mal. "She's a friend." Malorie said, glaring at Angie like she was actually her worst enemy. Angie sat up like she didn't notice Mal's death glare and held her hand out to the man above her to shake. "Hi! I'm Angela Pirko! Who're you?" The man grinned as he shook her hand. "Oz Tamahome." "Cool name!" Angela chirped in delight. "Ta-ma-ho-me. Is that Japanese?" Charlie nodded. "Sort of." "Cool." Mary said, peering out from the bushes also. "Can we come out now, Angie?" "You have my permission to introduce yourselves at will." Angie proclaimed, standing up importantly. The pack of five girls scrambled out, extracting leaves and twigs from their hair. There were introductions all around. "So," Marisa began. "We haven't seen you around before. Did you just move?" "Last night, actually." Oz replied, a mysterious wry grin crossing his face. "Where'd you move from?" Mary asked. "Japan, actually." "You lived in JAPAN?!" Lacie cried. "Oh, man, why'd you ever move?!" Oz's grin seemed a little sad. "Searching for something." He murmured in reply. Malorie looked up at him in confusion. "Searching for something? Like Christmas shopping?" Everyone sighed and sweat-dropped. Oz laughed a little and bent down to look into Malorie's blue-green eyes. "No, not like Christmas shopping, candy girl." He whispered teasingly. Malorie growled slightly at him. "Oz!" Someone called. Two guys, one with deep chestnut hair, the other with white-blond, starting trotting over to them. "Oh, God!" Rachelle whispered. "Double hunk alert!" "Oh, no you don't!" Malorie snapped as the girls prepared to jump back into their bushes. "Not this time. You stay out here this time!" She didn't notice the smile that played around Oz's lips as he looked at her. "Malorie-chan! Let me-ow!" Marisa yelped as Malorie grabbed a lock of her hair to drag her back Lacie tripped over Marisa and was sent sprawling to the ground. The rest hesitated, half-obeying Malorie's command, half-desiring to run far away from the oncoming guys that they would surely embarrass themselves in front of. The white-blond man jogged up to Oz. "Hey, Oz, man, where you been?" He asked, panting slightly. "We were going to get that tour of the high school, remember?" "High school?" Malorie asked suspiciously, a bad feeling in her veins. "Atlee High School, M&M." Oz told her. "Atlee?!" Malorie wailed. "But that's our school!" "You go to Atlee?" The white-haired man asked. Malorie nodded miserably. "Hah!" Oz crowed. "Now I know where I can find you, M&M." "Would you stop calling me that?!" Malorie growled, stomping her feet. "One day here, and you're already flirting, Osborne?" The white-blond man said, wagging a finger at him mockingly. "Flirting? With candy-kid, here? You're off your rocket, Andrew!" Oz laughed. Malorie ignored the injured feeling she felt. "Candy kid?! M&M?! Jeez! Would you just call me MALORIE?!" "Sure, M&M." Oz replied. Andrew whacked him over the head. "Your name's Andrew?" Marisa asked him. Andrew nodded. "Andrew Asahi. Me and Charlie and Lance-oy! Lance!" The chestnut haired man that the girls had seen walking with Andrew looked up at him in surprise. He was sitting on a park bench a few feet away, nose buried in a book. "What?" "Get over here!" Andrew ordered. "Meet our new friends." "Who says they're friends?" Oz muttered. Malorie turned away and tilted her nose up into the air. "I know you're not my friend." She told Oz firmly. "You are." She added to Andrew. Oz colored slightly. Andrew gave a sideways look before turning back to yell, "Lance! Get over here!" Lance sighed and reluctantly closed his book and stood up. He crossed over to them, nodding shyly. Lacie smiled at him. "Hi!" Lance blushed. "Hello." He muttered, looking down. "Don't mind Lance." Andrew said cheerfully, slinging an arm over his shoulder. "He's afraid of girls." Lance shot him a look before punching him lightly. "You didn't need to tell them that." He growled so only Andrew could hear. "If you want to meet your dream girl, you've got to take some initiative!" Andrew whispered back. "All of these girls seem very nice!" "They're so young, though." Lance muttered in defiance. Meanwhile, Lacie, Marisa, Malorie, and Elisha promptly had a furious fight over the guys. "I get Andrew!" Elisha growled. "NO way!" Marisa cried. "You've got Chase, let me have my guy!" "Can I have Lance, then?" Elisha asked eagerly. "No!" Lacie snapped. "He's cute and he's shy and he's quiet! Leave him alone!" "Already taken." Marisa whispered teasingly. Lacie colored slightly. "Fine." Elisha sighed. "I'll steal Oz." "Fine." Malorie agreed. "He's a creep. I'll take Chase." "Oh, no, you won't!" Elisha yelled. "He's mine! You take the redhead." 'Would you shut up!?" Malorie hissed, seeing the boy in question eyeing them curiously. Angie sighed as she looked at her friends. "You think they'll ever stop?" She asked Mary and Rachelle. They both shook their heads. "Not in this life time." Mary complained. "Why aren't you guys in on this?" Rachelle asked. "I mean, I've got Kyle, so I'm not really interested in anyone else, but you two don't have anyone!" "Thank you for being so blunt, Rachelle." Angie muttered. Mary blushed a little. "Well, I've-got-a crush." She muttered. "On someone." "On Tuxedo Onyx." Angie said with a grin. Mary looked shocked. "No! No, of course not! He's-he's wonderful and heroic, and he-wouldn't be interested in a nobody like me-" "A nobody?" Rachelle asked in disbelief. "May I remind you that you are a- " Angie hissed a warning and glanced over at the watching boys. Rachelle lowered her voice. "-a Sailor Scout?!?! What guy wouldn't want us?!" "What do you mean?" Mary asked. Rachelle rolled her eyes. "Honestly, haven't you seen the newspapers?! Our names are being screamed all over headlines from here to L.A.!!!! We're famous. I quote, 'The fantastically beautiful, mysterious ladies who have risen to an honorable task of taking care of kidnappers.' Apparently, that's what the mall girl thought was happening, and she actually saw some of our fight!" "Oh, jeez." Angie said, rubbing her brow. "I had hoped to remain unknown for a while. Still, it could be worse." "What are you three talking about?" Oz asked curiously. "Nothing." Rachelle said innocently, putting on her cute-girl face. "Just girl talk." Mary said smoothly. "They're probably plotting to kill someone." Malorie muttered. Angie whacked Mal lightly over her head. "Be quiet, M&M." Malorie wailed in betrayal. "You too, Angie?! Why is everyone picking on me?!" "Because it's so much fun." Oz said with a grin. "You take it too hard." Angie smiled in agreement. Malorie hung her head. "You guys are so mean." She muttered. She glared at Oz. "Especially you, carrot top." She added crossly. Lance suddenly broke into laughter. Oz grinned good-naturedly down at Malorie. "I am honored by your affections, candy girl." "Shut up." Malorie ordered crossly. Angie was about to add a remark to this, when there was a sudden tingling at the back of her neck. She glanced around uneasily. "Um-I want to check- something, real quick, you guys." She said absently, looking around nervously. Rachelle blinked at her. Was Angie picking up vibes? She didn't feel anything. "Okay, Ange." She said hesitantly. "We'll meet you at the center of the park, okay? By the moon fountain." "Sure, great." Angie said, a strange look on her face as she began trotting towards the outskirts of the park. Mary looked at Rachelle. "What was that about?" Rachelle shrugged. "No idea. I don't feel anything." Mary looked at their disappearing friend and leader. "I really hope she's not going to get into another fight." She murmured. Angie headed out of the park, looking around, searching for something. She wasn't quite sure what, but something was calling her, and she wanted to find out what. It didn't feel evil or good, really. Just sort of-neutral. Powerful, though. Familiar. She was so busy in her thoughts she barely glanced at the walk sign blaring green as she began to cross the street. A cry of alarm and the squeal of tires startled her out of her thoughts. She glanced up to see a black car zooming for her, taking advantage of no traffic at the intersection. The startled driver had apparently just realized there was someone crossing the street. Angela's mind went blank. She stared in horror at the car flying at her, unable to stir her muscles to action. She closed her eyes, waiting for the shock impact of metal hitting her. An impact came, but not cold hard steel as she'd expected. Some warm weight flung against her side, tackling her, sending both flying from harm's way. Angie winced as she hit something and felt it skid under her. Yet she was unhurt.she opened her eyes. A man lay under her, eyes shut, arms holding her tightly. He had shoved from the car's path and then sheltered her fall. Saving her life, more than likely. Her mind began to move again. "Are you all right?!" She exclaimed. "Oh, my God." The man's shirt was torn in many places, revealing chest scarred by many cuts. The man glanced at his wounds ruefully. "Nothing permanent." He muttered, than he glanced up to look at her. "Are you okay? That moron." Angie nodded, gasping slightly. For a split second, she could have sworn she had been saved by Damon. But no, this man's eyes were gray, and his hair was a lighter color than Damon's black; it was almost blue. The tanned face was the same, though, and she didn't know if Damon had those excellent chest muscles. * * * Damon's physical change had been very amusing to Spike and Jedin. They informed him he looked every inch a human. He had punched them lightly before they all went their separate ways, searching for worthy targets. Damon had chosen the park close to the middle of the city. It was full of younger children whose energy was not quite at the ripening point yet, and older people whose energy was fading. And in between was the scattered mix of teenagers, healthy adolescents at the peak of their life. The selection had been wonderful. Dozens of young people. But he noticed that many of them were with other males or females. He didn't want a fight or human competition, now. He wanted a solo person, a loner. It would draw less attention. Damon had exited the park, thinking about trying someplace else, following a yellow haired girl who had just left her group. He ignored her. Judging by the group of people she had been with, she would be sorely missed should she disappear. The girl seemed terribly preoccupied. She was half-frowning, and had a searching look on her face. This was of little concern for him, so he didn't know why he focused on it. He followed her when she made a left turn out of the park, heading across the street for a small store. Damon was still on the curb when he had spotted the black car zooming up from down the street. He stepped back to wait for it to pass, then noticed in horror the blond girl was in the middle of the street, and had not noticed the oncoming car. He shouted a warning. She glanced up and saw the car, which was trying to stop but only succeeding in skidding forward, but instead of moving, she froze in horror. Before he knew what he was doing, Damon was running, charging at the girl. Why am I doing this?! He wondered as the car still came on, only feet away now. I'm not going to make it! I'm not going to make it. He took a flying leap and crashed into the girl, wrapping arms around her and twisting so he hit the ground. He skidded a few paces, wincing as he heard his shirt rip (and probably his skin as well.) The maniac driver flew by. He caught a look of the driver's gaping face and scowled fiercely. The driver grew pale and sped up again, zooming out of sight. Damon sighed as he glanced down at his chest. It was visible under his wrecked shirt, and he was cut in a few places. "Are you all right?!" The girl who he held gasped. "Oh, my God." He gave his cuts a last glance. "Nothing permanent." He muttered to himself, then he looked up at the girl. 'Are you okay? That moron." His first impression was that he had by pure coincidence managed to save Sailor Diamond. But no, this girl-though pretty with long yellow hair and light blue eyes-wasn't Diamond. She was panting a little, cheeks pink, clothes ruffled. She looked pert and happy, aside from the terror that was still in her eyes from nearly being run over. "Are you okay?" He repeated. The girl nodded slightly, lips quivering. 'I-I think so." Tears were welled in her eyes, but she seemed to not want to let them fall. Damon got to his feet, holding the girl still, wincing as he felt his back scream with pain. Yep. He had definitely scraped his back up pretty good. He sighed lightly, resting his head on top of that yellow hair. Angie quivered as he helped her to her feet, holding her closely. His forehead rested on the top of her head, so that they were almost nose to nose. She slowly exhaled, feeling very strange suddenly. She trembled like a leaf blown by the wind, knees suddenly feeling shaky. Her arms moved up to grasp his shoulders to steady herself. Damon stared into light blue eyes, feeling a jolt of electricity move through his limbs from where his hands still held her waist. He swallowed hard as the girl trembled violently, bringing her arms up to his shoulders to steady herself. Very carefully, so not to frighten her, he moved his hands to her shoulders, giving her a gentle hug. "Hey buddy, you okay?!" The two abruptly pulled apart. Damon gave the person-a well dressed, now extremely pale business man-a bit of a glare. The man pulled back a little, but continued. "I saw what that creep did, and I've got the license plate number at least. Are you two all right?! You, young sir, you've got to get to a hospital immediately!" "I'm all right." Damon muttered in defiance. Why was this man interrupting? "No, he's right." The girl said softly, small hands quickly exploring his back. He winced, but did not draw away. "Your shirt's soaked with blood." She commented, bringing her hand around to stare at it. A few drops of blood had pooled in her palm. "I'm so sorry, this is all my fault! If I only had been watching what I was doing-" "It's not your fault." Damon said sharply, grabbing her hands with both of his. "It's that creep's fault. He was trying to run the light, and it nearly killed you." The girl nodded, though she didn't look convinced. Damon sighed and said to the man, "I can take care of myself, thank you. I'll be okay." The man seemed about to protest- "I'll be okay." Damon said sharply. The man must have had an urgent appointment he had just remembered, for he turned and quickly walked away. A small crowd was gathered by this time, looking on curiously at the two scratched-up people. "Let's go." Damon whispered to the girl, beginning to pull her back away across the street again. The girl didn't argue. She just bit her lip and tried to keep up with his long strides. When they were a safe distance away from onlookers he roughly pulled her down on a park bench. "Are sure you're all right?!" He demanded sharply, inspecting her hands and arms. Angie felt her blush as the man looked her over, gentle despite his frown. "Yes, I'm fine. You took the worst fall, remember?" "Never mind, I heal quickly." The man said, turning her hands over and over in his. "You're absolutely sure? No breaks or scrapes or anything?" "Just a few bruises." She said with a smile. She hesitated, then went on in a rush. "Y-you saved my life. It would have been more than a few broken bones if that car had hit me. I-I'm really grateful. If there's anything I can do for you, ever-" Damon only gave the barest pause as she finished abruptly. "It really was nothing." He muttered, setting her hands down in her lap. "Really, I just happened to been there, and that creep nearly hit you-" "It was not nothing!" The girl said passionately, grabbing his hands and forcing him to look at her bright, anxious blue eyes. "You saved my life! I could have been wiped all over the asphalt now if it weren't for you! Are you sure you're all right? That back looks so painful-" Damon moved away uncomfortably. "Please-stop. It's okay. It must look worse than it feels." "Well, it looks like it hurts beyond hell, so it must only hurt to hell." The girl said dryly. Damon blinked and almost smiled. The girl stood up and grabbed her shirt in both hands and yanked hard. A small rip appeared in the bottom of it. She began pull on this rip, tearing a long, large piece of her shirt off. "What are you doing?!" Damon asked, trying hard not to stare at her bare, pink midriff. "Making a bandage." The girl said briskly. "Take your shirt off, I want to have a look at you." Damon looked at her sideways to give her a quirky grin. The girl blushed prettily. "At your wounds, I mean, smart aleck." She muttered, tugging lightly on his shirt. Damon sighed, and carefully lifted his shirt from his back, wincing where it peeled off his wounds. He carefully pulled it over his head and straightened. Angie gave a small gasp when she saw his chest. It was bleeding a little, but she had been right: he had excellent abs. Lines of rippling muscles, all tanned to perfection. Damon noticed her staring, and couldn't help but smile slightly. "My back?" He asked, not unkindly. The girl blushed even deeper and muttered some apology before going around to look at his back. He heard her visibly wince. "Ouchies. It's a wonder you're not screaming in pain. Know I would be." "I don't know." Damon commented. "You're pretty tough. Most girls would have cried after almost being run over." "Well, I'm not most girls." The girl teased lightly. "Oh, dear." "What?" She sighed. "There's all these pebbles and this dirt in your wounds from the pavement. I need to wash it out. Now, if only we had-bingo!" She pointed to a water fountain a few paces away. "Stay right here, I'll go get some!" She trotted over and began to wet the bandage. Damon watched her, amused. She was like a small bird, fluttering busily away, doing everything with graceful, careful precision. And he could tell: she had the ability to fly as gracefully as a bird, too. "Here we are!" She sang, coming back with a dripping cloth. "Now, this might sting a little." Damon tensed as the cloth came gently down on his back. The water made his wounds burn, but the girl's hands were gentle. He felt the cool cloth go all over his back, wiping wounds carefully. Then-a strange sensation on his shoulder. He looked back to see the girl blowing gently on a cut to dry it. His scalp prickled like an electric jolt had passed through him. The girl caught him staring at her and grinned. She began to wrap her bandage around his back. "By the way, my name's Angela Pirko. You can call me Angie." Damon hesitated. "My name's-Alan Richards." She nodded. "Alan Richards. I like it." She gave his back a final pat. "There! All done. I didn't hurt you too badly, did I?" "Not at all." He replied. "Not compared to that crash." She winced. "I'm still so sorry about that. I wish I'd been paying attention, this whole thing could have been avoided-" The unshed tears were bright in her eyes again. "Listen." Damon said, taking her hand. "Just because one idiot decides to be stupid doesn't mean you should blame yourself! The guy was trying to go against the law and he nearly killed you for it! Don't blame yourself for others' stupidity." He was amazed at the anger and passion in his voice, but why would this little bird even dream that this was her fault?! Angie sniffed a little. "But-if I had been day-dreaming, I might have seen- " "Everyone has the right to dream." Alan said seriously. "Though I wouldn't do it when I was crossing the street, if I were you." Angie smiled. "I just know I'm going to like you. We're going to be friends, I can feel it." Alan smiled back at her. Her nerves tingled suddenly as the full force of his masculine beauty hit her. Those eyes, especially. Not just the color, but the piercing quality of them that managed to look deep into her, maybe all the way to her soul. He really was gorgeous. She tried a small, shy smile on, and felt certain she looked like a loony idiot. Damon felt himself grow warm at the sight of the shy smile Angie gave him in return for his grin. A blush stained her cheeks, making her look fresh and young. Yellow-gold hair framed her heart-shaped face. Her eyes were innocent and pure, with all the content of the sky above in them. And her lips looked soft, like silk. So soft. He forced himself to stand up and stretch, and to tear his eyes away from her face. "Well, I've got to get going." He said, as cheerfully as he could. "I've got some friends I have to meet." Disappointment stained his little bird's eyes as she stood up next to him and made a valiant attempt to hide it. "It was nice meeting you." She said, voice light and airy. "I've probably got to get moving, too. My friends are going to kill me." She turned away, golden hair swishing. Before he knew it, he had reached out and grabbed her shoulder. Surprised, she glanced back at him. "Um-" He stammered, glaring slightly at his treacherous hand. "Would you like to meet for lunch sometime? I'd like to get to know you better." For a moment, Angie almost levitated. "I'd like that." She told Alan. Alan grinned at her before giving her a cheery wave and striding away, head held high and whistling. She waited till he had turned a corner, then sighed and melted onto the bench. She had never met anyone who could make her feel like that before. No one at all, except. Unbidden, an image of Damon's dark, penetrating eyes crossed her mind, followed by his full face and mass of dark hair. She bit her lip. It was no use. She knew wasn't going to be able to stop thinking about either of them, Alan or Damon. She sighed heavily this time, and leaned back against the bench. "It's so tiring having to take care of a very hot, injured guy, I know." A voice said from beside her. Angela yelled and fell off the bench in alarm. Rachelle and all the others roared with laughter. Angie got to her feet, blushing. "How long have you been there?!" She demanded. Rachelle's eyes twinkled mischievously. "Long enough to hear that sigh. I caught a peek of you with the bandage, too." She giggled. "Go, Doctor Angie! Help all those poor, defenseless cute guys!" "You didn't throw yourself on the poor guy, did you?" Lacie asked in amusement. Oz and Andrew roared with laughter. Angie blushed bright red-and with the blush came red-hot anger. "He saved my LIFE!" She yelled. A silence fell over the group. Mary slid to the spot beside her. "Are you serious?" She whispered. Angie nodded. There was another long pause. "Oh my GOD!!!!!" Mary shrieked. "That is SO cool! How? Did a guy threaten you?!" "Or maybe you were climbing a tree and fell, and he caught you?!" Malorie suggested. "Or a wild tiger escaped from the zoo and he bravely fended it off while you escaped?!" Marisa threw in. "None of those!" Angie said, covering her red cheeks. "Then WHAT?!" All the girls yelled. "Come on, you've got everybody's interest." Andrew said, smiling. "Well." Angie hesitated. "I was walking.across the street." The images of what had happened were stirring back up in her mind. She saw the road again, heard the yell, the squealing brakes, saw the oncoming car.. ".there was a car.it couldn't stop." Staring at the oncoming car, frozen in shock, unable to move for fear. ".and then.he came." The warm impact. The arms quickly wrapping themselves around her. Falling down, hit muffled by Alan's body. ".he knocked me out of the way of the car." She finished dreamily. "Got a little hurt, too, but I bandaged that up." She blinked, and looked at her friends. Each had their head in their hands and were sighing with stars in their eyes. The guys looked interested, but not particularly romantically swayed. "That's so romantic." Elisha sighed, looking dreamily up at the sky. "I hope I'll have someone rescue ME like that someday!" Malorie whispered. "Fat chance." Oz said cheerfully. "They'd probably have just let the car splat you." "Well, if it had been you, the driver wouldn't have even tried to stop!" Malorie shot back, romantic mood promptly taken away. "He would have swerved to hit you!" "He would have come back around for a second try if he had missed!" "The both of you shut up." Elisha ordered in a tone that would have stopped a rampaging rhino. In the sudden silence, Rachelle's ears pricked up. Angela felt a shiver run down her spine. "Bad guys?" She whispered to Rachelle, who nodded. "Well!" Angela said, glancing at her watch. "Oh, gosh, you guys! We're late to our Tae-Kwan-Doe lesson!" She began to shove the girls down the path. "But-we don't take Tae Kwan Doe." Marisa said, confused. "Rachelle sensed a bad guy, you idiot!" Angie hissed, smiling at Oz, Lance, and Andrew. "Well, it's been great! Hope to run into you guys again! Bye!" And with a mighty push, she sent the girls quickly hurrying away. She followed, waving back to the guys. Lance watched them go. "Very, very strange girls." He muttered. "Nice, though." Andrew mused, thinking about how brightly Marisa had grinned at him before getting shoved away, "Pretty, for 8th graders." Oz said judgmentally. "Especially Malorie, right, Oz?" Andrew asked with a grin. "Just like Marisa, right, Andrew?" Oz shot back. "The both of you, shut up." Lance ordered, taking a small computer screen attached to a miniature keyboard out of his pocket and staring at it. "We've got a bogey southwest of here. Let's get alert." "Southwest." Andrew muttered, goofy attitude gone. "But that's the direction the girls went in." "There might be a reason for that." Lance said grimly, stuffing the computer away. "Come on. Let's grab our stuff and go. We've got people to save!" * * * "You had to drag us out of there so fast!' Lacie complained, running easily beside Angie. "No time to hang with guys when evil runs amuck!" Angie quipped, smiling at her friend. "Don't worry. I guarantee you will see your prince again." "We'd better get in the bushes!" Rachelle hissed. "The guy's right after this next intersection and to the right!" Fun time was gone. The girls were deadly serious again. Without realizing it, the person they each were inside was changing. They were still their old, happy, normal selves. But each had learned to be tense and wary, and to be on alert for evil. Each had gotten used to dashing off to do quick transformations. Each had gotten used to their spot in the group as a fighter. Or as a leader. "Diamond Star Power!" "Sapphire Star Power!" "Emerald Star Power!" "Garnet Star Power!" "Topaz Star Power!" "Amethyst Star Power!" "Obsidian Star Power!" "MAKE-UP!' * * * Damon had felt Jedin's power surge suddenly in his mind as he walked away from Angie. His happiness was brought back down to earth with a thud. The kind of energy he was collecting wasn't got from one single person. His disguise vanished in an instant. Earth clothes were transformed to a black suit and long cape. He soared into the air, looking around for any sort of panic or crisis. Jedin always loved causing a big scene. The espionage had probably been too slow and too annoying for him. Sure enough, before long, screams reached his ears, coming from the center of the park. He sighed, switched his direction in the air, and floated down to the ground. Jedin looked up at him with a savage grin. He had a young girl in his arms who was half-drained. "Hello, Damon." "We were SUPPOSED to go in disguise!" Damon pointed out crossly. Jedin jerked his head over at Spike, who had razor fangs sunk into another girl's neck. "Spike said that too, until he got a taste of this energy! It's intoxicating! Try one!" He shoved a knocked-out girl at Damon. Damon caught the girl-then his breath died in his throat. Her yellow- haired head wobbled about weakly on her neck. Carefully he raised her head, then nearly collapsed in relief. It wasn't Angie. "Go on!" Jedin said cheerfully, dropping his present victim to grab another girl that had just ran by, screaming. "There's plenty of choices!" "I'm afraid your selection is going down the drain!" A familiar voice said from the other side of the commons. Damon sighed. "You know, I've always wondered what it's like to eat in peace." He said loudly. "Guess I'll never learn with you guys around, will I?" "Probably not!" Diamond agreed cheerfully, hands on her slender hips. "Not while we're around, at any rate!" "Never going to get a decent meal at this rate." Jedin sighed, dropping the terrified girl he had grabbed. "Let's finish them, eh, Spike? ..Spike??...SPIKE!!!!" Spike tore his fangs from the girl's flesh and glared at Jedin, bloodlust hot in his eyes. "What?!" He growled, a drop of blood slip down his chin. All the Senshi recoiled seeing this. "Guh-ross!" was how Garnet put it, shuddering and hiding behind Diamond. "Creeps." Obsidian said coldly, not wincing or moving back. "Let's try and finish at least one, eh, Sapphire?" "Most definitely." Sapphire said, eyes like chips of ice. "Absitively posolutely." Topaz agreed, orange sparks flashing in her yellow eyes. "Bring it on." Jedin said, smiling. "Okay." Obsidian said calmly, bring her hands back for an attack. "BLACK-" "BRIGHT-" Topaz began. "ICY-" Sapphire yelled. Then, very suddenly, each stopped saying their own individual attack. Instead, what came out was, "DARK TYPHOON!!!!" A large wind picked up suddenly, whirling around the three generals. Black lightning, darker than the dark electricity, zigzagged around the ground by Obsidian's feet. Black clouds swirled around Sapphire, half-enveloping her. The three forces grew in power and size, till a miniature storm raged over the commons. Black and blue lightning reached out to strike blue shields that flared up around the generals while wind heavily colored with sparks lashed at the shields in huge waves. Diamond fell to the ground, shielding her face from the wind. "Can't you control it a little?!" She yelled at the three attacking scouts. "I wish I could!" Topaz wailed, clenching her fists. "I think we've done a seriously BIG attack, here!" Obsidian pointed out, shielding her head. Damon's shield sparked angrily. Winds were starting to break through. A lightning bolt almost hit his foot. "Powerful." He muttered. "A group attack." "How is this possible?!" Spike demanded. "How can they combine attacks yet? That power usually takes MONTHS to master, and here these girls did it not a week in on their training!" "Looks like you were right, Damon." Jedin said grimly. "Their potential is being recognized and tapped into." "Perhaps we should." Spike said quietly, glancing sideways at Damon. Damon knew instantly what he wanted to do. "Absolutely not. No reverting to true forms. That's a last resort, you know that!" "But we could squish them now!" Spike urged. "Get the killing actually started! We're just waiting around now!" Damon hesitated. "Come on, Damon!" Spike said, feeling his friend's weakness. "You want to see Diamond with a sword through her gut as much as I do, if not more. And what of the others?! I for one would love to rip Amethyst's body up with my teeth." "No." Damon said firmly. "We stay in our humanoid forms." Spike and Jedin sagged in disappointment. "We just bring out the big guns." Damon said with a malicious grin. They brightened immediately. "Are you suggesting.?" Jedin asked eagerly. Damon nodded. Spike smiled. "I wonder what our friends will think of this." The storm suddenly slacked off. Diamond raised her head from the ground to focus on Damon, Spike, and Jedin. Something was wrong. She could feel her bones humming, warning her of something. She got to her feet, staring at them. Each one was glowing slightly, Damon dark blue, Spike and Jedin black. The power surges she was feeling were incredible. She felt very small and afraid suddenly, standing alone against these three terrors. Her heart vainly leapt at the thought that maybe Damon would help her, but her mind immediately squashed that. She was healed now, and 'good prey'. No chance of any redemption. Still, better to go down fighting. She bent her knees into a fighter's stance, hands clenched into fists. Damon half-marveled at the courage that Diamond had to have to stand and face them. She looking frightened, but determined. She remained very strictly tied to the promise she would never run away. It was going to get her into a lot of trouble, someday. "Shitai." Diamond muttered, feeling the power radiating from the three men get even stronger. "We'd better pull something fast, here." "Diamond?" Emerald asked softly from down on the ground. "Is it just me, or are they gathering energy like all?" "Most assuredly so." Diamond said, trying to smile down at her. "Are we in trouble?" Garnet asked in a small voice. "Very big trouble." Diamond said with a sigh. "I don't know if we're going to be able to dodge whatever's coming next." "Then let's face it!" Obsidian said bravely, crouching beside Diamond. "Easier said than done." Sapphire muttered, slowly rising. "Oh, you wimp." Amethyst said good-naturedly, patting Sapphire on her back. "Don't be afraid! Set your face towards danger, and your heart on victory!" "Heart on victory!" Topaz repeated, also standing. "Face your fears, no matter what." Emerald added, planting her feet firmly next to Diamond. "We fight together." Diamond finished, eyes clear and calm. "Together forever." The others echoed, forming a v-shape facing their enemies with Diamond as the point. They stood proudly and firm, looking for one moment like a legendary warrior team. Sapphire ruined the moment by muttering, "We are all going to die." "This'll be the day that I die." Topaz sang in the old "American Pie" tune, giggling a little. "You guys are odd." Emerald sighed. "Still, it was nice being friends." "It's not over yet." Diamond whispered to herself. "Not if I can help it." A flame was burning in her eyes, hidden by half-closed lids. "Get ready to dodge." She whispered to the girls. Silently, the girls obeyed, knees bending in unison. Damon saw this out of the corner of his eye, and frowned. The girls were banded together, clearly defiant. But the flame in Diamond's eyes worried him the most. She was gaining power, though it was invisible to the naked eye. But he could sense it clearly. In fact, it was frightening how much she was growing in strength, now. Diamond felt the energy going to her, from what she didn't know. But the heat flowing through her veins was strong and intense, but not so much that it overwhelmed her. She knew what she was doing.she had to be the leader. She had to protect her friends. "Ready for the massacre, Damon?" Spike said eagerly, rubbing his hands together gleefully. "Ready when you are." Damon said, not sounding sure. "Then let's fire." Jedin growled, raising his hands. Damon and Spike mimicked him, drawing their powers to their full peak. Lightning bolts began swarming back and forth between their fingertips. "DARK TITANIC DESTRUCTION!!" Spike and Jedin yelled, bringing their hands down, aimed at the girls. Damon followed, a little cautiously. Black beams full of electricity shot out towards the girls, ripping up the pavement and killing everything in their way, which at that point was an unlucky squirrel. It screamed in terror and dissolved into nothing but bones. The girls grimly watched the beams get closer and closer and closer. "NOW!!!" Diamond screamed. The girls leapt away like deer, bounding away across the commons. Damon, Jedin, and Uther began using them as moving targets, aiming their fingers like guns and firing small pellets of black energy. "Keep moving!" Diamond ordered, seeing the girls hesitate. "Move, or you get hit! If you can, leap in and try to hit them, but don't take more than a second or so doing it! Let's go!!" The girls worked like a charm. While one would distract a general, another scout would drop in from behind to give their head or knee a kick before leaping away again, drawing the general's attention. Then the first girl would strike, and so on it would go, switching spots as quickly as dragonflies. "Damn it, they're quick!" Spike growled, as Topaz used his head for a kick- off board. He quickly turned and caught her ankle. "Not quick enough, though." He brought her crashing to the ground and stood over her. Topaz rubbed her head and gazed up at him in anger. "That hurt!" She snapped, no fear in her gaze. "You all right, Topaz?" Diamond asked, landing in front of her, glaring at Spike. "Blondie-boy here decided to end my attack very roughly." Topaz complained. "Excuse me? Blondie-boy?!" Spike growled in outrage. The other scouts landed in front of Topaz, protecting her as she got to her feet. "Yes, Blondie-Boy." Obsidian said snootily. "And Captain Peroxide, and Toothless Old Grump, also." Jedin choked back a laugh. Spike glared at him. "I suppose you think that's very funny, nancy-boy." "Actually, yes." Jedin roared, all hope of concealing his laughter gone. "C-Captain Peroxide! Blondie-Boy!" He fell into hysterical laughter while the scouts looked at him nervously. "Psychotic Fuzzy Panda alert." Amethyst muttered. Jedin stopped laughing and glared at them, but Spike roared. "HAH!!! Fuzzy panda! I'd rather be Blondie-Boy!" Damon snickered quietly and gave the Senshi a half-admiring glance. They were idiots, but they sure were brave. The Senshi, meanwhile, had taken the opportunity on behalf of the bad guys seemingly going nuts to scuttle back a few feet, where they now watched the generals apprehensively. "I think they've cracked." Sapphire voiced her opinion, much to everyone's agreement. "Obviously." Emerald muttered. "Maybe we should attack?" The others blinked at her. "That's probably the most sensible thing that's been said all day." Diamond replied, grinning. "Aside from when you said, 'Let's take a break'." Topaz agreed. "Enough talk, more action!" Amethyst yelled. "DEATH CRESCENTS DESTROY!!!!" Spike and Jedin were arguing ferociously, so only Damon saw the oncoming attack. "Duck!" He yelled to the two idiots who seemed to have forgotten they were fighting before throwing himself on the ground. Spike and Jedin completely ignored the two spinning crescents and Damon's shout until it was very nearly too late. "Yomba!" Spike cursed as a crescent caught his shoulder and stuck there, glowing purple. He yanked it out and squeezed it hard. The crescent melted where he touched it, and he dropped it with large hand imprints in it. "Spike!" Damon scowled. "What?!" Spike demanded. 'That bloody hurt! Those little-" "No more cursing!" Damon growled. "It will take away our lady's energy." "Hey!" Amethyst yelled. "You're not supposed to do that!!" "Tough." Spike snapped. "Little-witch." (He gave Damon a look.) "Am I allowed to call a Screamer, or would that affect our lady's energy also?" He asked sarcastically. "That's acceptable." Jedin said seriously. Then, with a hidden snigger, "Blondie-bear." Spike chose to ignore this comment: he was already summoning the demons. "Damn it." Obsidian cursed as four Screamers would their way up from the sidewalk. "Screamers. I really don't dig these guys." "You think I do?" Diamond muttered. "One very much like these nearly ate me the other day, remember?" "I guess we'd better get ready." Topaz said with a sigh. "Remember how fast they move-" There was a sudden loud "BOOM!!" and something that looked like a lime- green cannonball sped towards the demons. All of the Screamers shrieked horribly and vanished in puffs of smoke, reduced to smoking piles of mud on the ground. "What the.!" Spike yelled. "What the.!" The scouts screeched, looking vainly around. There was another blast, and another green cannonball came flying, aimed this time at the three generals. They dodged without much difficulty. "Damn, we missed!" A voice swore from behind the Senshi. "Can it, and fire again!" Another voice ordered. Diamond slowly turned to look behind her. Three guys were standing there, dressed in rather strange baggy pants and short sleeved shirts that were all black. One had a black cloak wrapped around his shoulders and torso. The others had white bandannas tied around their necks. All wore black face masks that made it impossible to see any face features or hair color. "Who the heck.?" Sapphire muttered, peering at them. "Got me." Diamond said with a shrug. "I think they're on our side, though." "What are they doing, though?" Emerald asked, staring at them. "Let alone, what are they?!" "Why don't you ask them?" Topaz suggested. She raised her voice and yelled. "Hey! Yo! Hello over there!" Three black-masked faces swung to look at her. "Hi!" Topaz said brightly. "Who're you? Are you on our side?" One with a white bandit stared to speak, but the black cloaked one silenced him with a look. "We're demon hunters." He said coldly. "Otherwise it's really none of your business." Emerald felt her hackles rise. "It certainly is our business! We're the Sailor Senshi! We fight these guys, and we have the right to know who else fights, also!!" "Noisy brats, aren't you?" The black-cloaked one kindly replied. "Excuse me?!" Amethyst yelled, outraged. "Who exactly do you think you are?! You think you can just saunter into our battle and we won't notice you or care who you are?!" "Look, we're kind of busy here." One of the white-bandit ones said, holding up his hands. "We really need to fight these guys, so if you'll excuse us." "Uh-uh." Diamond said firmly, stepping on Amethyst's squeal of anger. "I'm sorry, but if you're fighting the same guys we are, we definitely need to chat." "And are you trying to tell us what to do?" The black cloaked one said snippily. "We don't need your help." "I never said you did." Diamond said calmly, but her resolve was slipping. "Good." The black-cloaked one said. "Because you're the ones that need our help. You're pathetic, the way you handle them. We know these guys better than you do, so I'd advise getting out of the way." "No way." Diamond told him, jaw clenched. "We never leave our battles-" "Your battles?!" The man snorted. "Who do you think you are, anyway?" Sailor Diamond drew herself up to her full height to glare at him. A white flame seemed to flash in her eyes. "I am Sailor Diamond, sworn defender of justice, right of wrongs, Senshi of Love and Lady of Light-and if you think we just going to fawn and get out of your way, you've got another thing coming." "If you don't move, we'll make you." The man retorted. The last man, who also wore a white-bandanna, hit the black-cloaked one lightly. "Knock it off, Storm." He smiled at the girls. "I'm Bullet, this is Storm and Thunder." The other white-bandit bowed. Storm only scowled at his colleague. Diamond smiled back, reserve against this one, at least, diminishing. "Hello, Bullet. I'm Sailor-" Fiery pain lanced up her side. She gasped and fell, stricken, to the ground, back and side throbbing. She had forgotten about the others involved in the fight. Stupid! She cursed. "What'd you do that for!?" Damon demanded, glaring at Spike. Spike looked at him in surprise. "It was a perfect moment, mate. Her guard was down." "Yes-but-" Damon wrestled angrily with the horrible guilt that was growing in his gut. "She was defenseless-surely she deserves a good fight!" Spike snorted. "You needn't sound so concerned. That little brat nearly knocked my shoulder out of its socket with a kick. Besides, she's already getting up." It was true. Already the golden Senshi was on her feet and giving them a glare that could probably have cut through steel. "Heartless cheaters." She muttered. "Striking when I'm down. They're going to pay." "Spare the talk." Storm snorted. "Action speaks better than words." "That's the first intelligent thing you've said." Emerald said promptly, turning to face the generals. "As opposed to you, who has not said one slightly brainy thing." Storm retorted. Emerald innocently stepped back to dig her heel into his toe. He swore and shoved her off, making her fall. Before she had hit the ground, Diamond's hand was at Storm's throat. "You ever do that again." She said, face deadpan. "Ever, with any girl, and I will rip your heart out and force you to apologize on your dying breath. And that's a scout promise, pal." Storm was about to shove her off, but the look in Diamond's eyes was deadly. She looked like if he dared to touch her, he would be dead in less than five seconds. "Fine." He muttered, not meeting her eyes. "Sorry." "It's Emerald you should apologize to." He took a deep breath and looked at the green haired Senshi. "Sorry, aqua- head." Emerald stuck out her tongue and turned her back as Diamond dumped Storm unceremoniously in the dust. "Come on, people!" Amethyst cried, crouching low to the ground. "We are supposed to be fighting. Remember? Fighting? Evil men in hot, tight suits?" "Mmm." Topaz commented. "Very nice, tight suits, too." "I wish Kyle would wear something like that." Garnet sighed, staring at Damon's tight-fitting armor. Diamond felt a pang of jealousy. "Stop that." She ordered roughly. "We're here to KILL these guys, remember?" "Easy for you to say!" Garnet retorted. "You've fought him twice!" "SO?" Diamond asked. "Fighting is very sexual." Garnet said primly. "All that close contact and sweating and yelling and hitting." "SICK!!" Sapphire and Obsidian yelled, to everyone's but Garnet and Diamond's agreement. Garnet grinned smugly. Diamond said nothing, but felt both uncomfortable and-something else. Something fiery, and in the pit of her stomach, warming itself way up to her heart. It scared her, mostly because she liked it. "Can we please attack?" Diamond snapped, mostly to take her mind away from this new contemplation. "Great idea!" Obsidian said happily, obviously pleased at the change of subject. "BLACK FEAR SWARM!!!" "It's about time!!" Jedin quipped, dodging the attack with ease. "I thought you lot would talk forever!" "Picky-picky, Mr. Let's-Vow-Evil-Revenge-In-Long-Complicated-Speeches." Sapphire grumbled. "ICY GLACIER FREEZE!!!" Damon half-smiled as he dodged the attack. This was almost too easy. "PLASMA CANNON!!!" Storm boomed, yanking on a cord attached to a particularly large black cannon. A yellow cannon ball flew out to strike Damon while he was still dodging Sapphire's attack. Damon stifled a yell of pain as the cannonball hit where hit backside had kissed the pavement. Pain lanced up his backbone. He swore in anger and hate-filled eyes centered on the small group. Black lightning swarmed out of his fingers in an enormous wave, charging down towards the scouts and the group of boys. It completely swamped them. Black electricity filled Diamond's senses, on her before she could even think of blocking. The boy's attack had obviously injured Damon greatly in some way. His eyes had been completely black. She closed her eyes, trying to block out the pain, which was, to her surprise, manageable. It hurt-lord, did it hurt-but it wasn't as bad as what she had felt pressed up against the shield. This was a stinging pain, like bees. Terrible, but acceptable. She began to get up from where she had fallen, hands clenched, but gaze firm. Obsidian gasped as Diamond stood. "What-Diamond-how can you take this?!" She whispered, gasping from the pain. Diamond knelt by Obsidian, lightning still striking her repeatedly. "Obsidian, listen." She said gently but fiercely at the same time. "You have to fight the pain. I've felt worse than this and lived. You can handle this, girlfriend. Come on. Stand up." Obsidian struggled, then fell back. "I-can't." "You must!" Diamond firmly insisted. She raised her voice. "All of you must! Come on! Fight it!!! I've felt worse and lived! Come on, Garnet, up on your feet, now! You too, Topaz! Come on! Everyone! Up!" Gasping, shuddering, one by one, the Senshi began to rise. Diamond was at their sides, urging them, giving pats of encouragement but never quite helping physically. She wanted them to do it on their own, the Senshi knew clearly. She wanted them to prove their strength. And, one by one, they overcame the pain. As they saw Diamond walk around, lightning bolts scorching her as much as they did them, all got the strength they needed. In weary but firm formation, they stood, swaying a little, letting the bolts rain down. "How-are-they-doing that?!" Bullet demanded, watching the Senshi stand. "My God!" "This bloody hurts!" Storm ground out. "They must be immune or something after a while-" "No, it's hurting them." Thunder observed quietly. "But they're bearing it. They can stand it. Surely we can, also?" "Damon!" Diamond roared, all her scouts standing firm behind her. "Would you mind laying off the bolts for one minute?!?! We'd like a bit of a break! I swear you can go back to peppering us afterwards!" To her complete surprise, the lightning stopped. "What are you doing?!" Spike hissed in Damon's ear. "She asked for a break." Damon replied calmly. "I'm giving it to her." "Are you nuts?!" Jedin demanded. "Finish her!!! Finish them!!!! We could end this all right here-" "I said," Damon said in his most dangerous tone, "that we will wait." Jedin subsided, muttering. Spike scrutinized Damon's profile. "You're not going soft on us, are ya, mate?" He asked cheerfully, but with a grim note. Damon smiled. It was not a pleasant smile. "Wait for them, Spike. I want to see her fight back. I want to see them all fight back." Spike scowled. "You may be able to keep this form, Damon, but we're on our last legs. We have to report back to base, but soon." "Fine." Damon sighed. "Take away all my fun, why don't you?" "If your fun involves not killing anyone, then yes!!" Jedin shouted. "Or torturing." Spike added. Jedin gave him a look that probably would have killed a human. "So sorry for leaving that out. Yes, of course, torturing as well." "GOLDEN HALO ATTACK!!!" "BRIGHT WHIRLWIND GUST!!!" "SCALDING FLAMEBALLS FIRE!!!" The three attacks sped upwards, missing the generals by bare inches. Damon had to jerk his head back to avoid Diamond's halo as he glared down at her. She raised her hand and cheerily waved at him. "Shouldn't have listened!" She called while the Senshi cracked up. "And here I thought we were playing by rules." Damon muttered. "Not when our lives are involved!" Diamond replied cheerfully. "So, we're cheating now, are we?" Spike asked in a low tone, grinning sideways at Damon. Damon returned the look with a sheepish grin. "All right, all right, I underestimated them, so sue me." "I might hurt you." Jedin growled. "But that's after we wreck havoc on these girls. Go redeem yourself." Damon waved. "With pleasure." Diamond gasped when the three generals flat out disappeared from the air. "Where'd they go?!" She demanded. "Behind you! Diamond, duck!" Topaz cried in warning. Diamond flung herself to the ground as Jedin's fist swiped at the air where her head had been. She thrust up with her knee, getting him directly in the stomach, then kicking with her foot, connecting in a place men didn't like to be kicked. Jedin yelled and reached down, but Diamond was gone, a blaze of gold darting upwards to grab his arm, lift up, and flip him onto the ground, wind knocked out of him. Spike's hold on Emerald was knocked away by Amethyst, who smacked his face. He responded by hitting her with his full reserve of strength. She flew back to hit a tree several yards away, next to Garnet and Topaz, who Damon had taken care of. Damon was using his full fighting skills. His injury reopening and close miss had dissolved all resolve. Now Obsidian came at him, right hand punching forward. He let the punch pass him, grabbed her wrist, and brought his knee up. There was a crack as Obsidian's arm broke. She stared at it dangling by her side in horror as Damon took the opportunity to side kick her back with her friends. Spike had flung Emerald back as well, and Jedin had taken the liberty of scorching Sapphire several times before deeming to knock her to her friends. The Senshi lay in a sorry heap, gasping and trying to rise, or cradling various wounds. Storm began to get up. Jedin was there in two seconds. Needless to say, the guys were flat out with no hope of returning to the fight in less than ten seconds. "Well, that's everything." Jedin said, briskly wiping his hands. "Not bad with Obsidian or Topaz, Damon. Very impressive. So, do we fry them up, or chop off their heads?" "Neither." Said a cold voice from the tree where the Senshi had been thrown. Damon sighed. "I think we forgot one." Diamond stood in front of her friends, face a mask of cold fury. She was unscathed, but her skin moved in tiny ripples. A faint aura of power glimmered in the air around her. She was panting slightly, hands and teeth clenched tight. "Well, well." Spike remarked, beginning to stride over. "Looks like Jedin was the one who missed a shot, after all!" "Don't you come near me." Diamond said in a low, chilling tone. "Don't you dare come near any of us." "I think she means it, Spike." Damon warned. Spike snorted. "Little Miss Goldilocks? What's she going to do? Sneeze on me?" "I will kill you." Diamond told him quietly, not the faintest trace of fear or doubt in her voice. Just calm, cold certainty. "I will kill you." The hairs on the back of Damon's neck rose straight up. The cutesy-girl voice that usually belonged to Diamond was gone. In its place was a voice that was smooth like silk, and as old as the rocks. Something deep had been woken inside her, and it was what was doing the talking. He had no doubt that should anyone move, they would regret it. Spike, apparently, didn't notice this. "Cocky little witch, aren't you?" He asked, reaching for her. In a golden flash, Spike was on the ground. He gasped and touched his throat where there was now a gaping hole where part of his throat had been. He tried to speak, and black blood oozed its way out from the hole. He half-growled-causing more blood to come up-and waved his hand over his throat, magic-ing it back to its original state. "You little BITCH!!" He roared at the cold-eyed Diamond. "You smug-sassy-little-" "Do you want more, or were you leaving?" Diamond demanded. "Because I could yank your heart out this time, if you want. That was a warning." Spike glared. Diamond glared. Garnet began hysterically laughing. Spike swung around to glare at her. "You think this is funny, you cherry- headed bitch?!" He growled. "Actually, yes." Garnet said, wiping her eyes. "Oh, dear." She began rolling on the ground, completely cracked up. "What's so funny, Amethyst?" Diamond asked curiously, eyes never leaving the generals. "They're actually afraid of you!!" Garnet giggled. "What?" The generals demanded. "What?" Diamond echoed. "I'm serious!" Garnet chortled. "Look into their eyes! HAH! This is rich!!! Three scumbags from the Negaverse, afraid of a young, klutzy girl!!" She trailed away into pure, incontrollable laughter. "I think someone's throat getting pulled out is a little too much for Garnet, here." Amethyst said soothingly, grabbing her friend's shoulders. A small smile slipped across Diamond's face. In an instant, the spell of the strange ancient voice was broken. Diamond shuddered slightly, looking at the blood that had pooled on the ground and on Spike's throat. "Oh, jeez." She muttered, bile rising in her throat. She fought to keep it down, but this resolve almost failed when she saw-in her hand- "Oh, GROSS!!!" She threw the raw, bloody piece of his throat as far away from her as she could before vigorously wiping her hand on her skirt. "Yuck! Ew, ew, ew, ew!!" "I am SO glad that you were the one to get to hold the piece of flesh, Diamond." Topaz muttered, gingerly testing her weight as she got to her feet. "You guys okay?" Diamond asked calmly, still frantically wiping her hands. "Within reason." Amethyst winced as she patted her rump. "That's a major ouchie." "I'm fine." Topaz said, looking daggers at Damon. "But I have this strange desire to mimic you and rip that guy's hair out." She turned to Sapphire. "Please stop me, here! I'm at the point of doing something drastic!" "You are such a thespian." Sapphire muttered, grabbing Topaz's arms as she fake-struggled. "Like you even could." Damon said cockily. Topaz growled and began struggling for real. "Nuh-uh!" Obsidian protested, moving forward. "He's mine. He beat me up!" "He's mine." Diamond said firmly, stepping forward to scowl at Damon. "He's the only one I haven't beat up today. I want to make it a round count." "Bring it on, Leader." Damon said, teeth bared like a wolf. "All right." Jedin said, a tiger-grin etching his features. "Damon versus Diamond. This should be interesting." "I'm betting on Damon." Spike said loudly. "At least he can win fights." "I'm betting on Diamond." Emerald said, just as loudly. "At least she can throw a good punch without relying on magic." In the background, someone snorted. It sounded like Storm. "No magic, huh?" Damon asked, not looking back at Emerald. "Fine. Just for you and your friends, I promise-no magic. More fun that way, anyhow." "I don't need you giving me handicaps." Diamond told him angrily. "Hey, blame your friend." Damon said with an off-handed shrug. "Not my idea." "You could use magic to blast me away where I stand. All of you could." Diamond said, eyes narrowing. "So tell me: why don't you." "Loss of energy, loss of a good opponent-" Damon chuckled. "And there are rules of engagement, pet. More than you would think." "I'm not your pet." Diamond replied in a snarl. "Right. Sorry, pet." Diamond growled and fake-lunged. Damon drew back slightly. He was obviously on edge, she observed. Tense. Nervous. Does no magic upset him this much? She drew back slightly, hesitating. Damon took this opportunity to leap forward, tackling her. She fell back onto the ground, already pushing up with her legs, catching him in the gut as he came down. He somersaulted, landed on his feet, and was back on the attack before she could properly regain her balance. She was knocked sideways, hands around her middle, squeezing so hard it hurt. She blindly began hitting his head, and then his back. Damon roared as her hands touched his back. Oops. Diamond found herself on the ground with his knee pressing into her neck before she could even figure out what the heck had happened. Shouldn't have hit his weak spot. She thought. He's probably going to kill me now. She went on, strangely calm. I've gotta find a way out. "Afraid, pet?" Damon whispered close to her ear. "Petrified, terrified, horrified, stupefied.so on and so forth." Diamond replied sarcastically. "Good enough?" "Acceptable." He dug his knee in a little more. "Look, if you're going to kill, just get it over with already, would you?!" She demanded, wincing at the pressure. "Otherwise I might be tempted to rise up and we'd go back to the bloody fight again." "No slow kills." Damon pronounced. "Only long ones. Extremely long, exceedingly painful ones." "You've great conversation skills, you know." Diamond said tartly, straining upwards slightly. "I'm not exactly taught the art of cooperating with humans." He replied. "It's something you have to pick up, I suppose." "Oh, trust me." Diamond promised. "You will never figure us out. You can live among us for fifteen years, and still never quite know what we'll do next." "And how are you so sure?" Damon asked. "Because no one else has, either." Diamond smartly replied. She dug her feet deep into the ground and shoved off, knocking him back and off her. "Ready?" She asked, going into a familiar fighting stance-the tae kwan doe fighting stance. ("Uh-oh." Garnet muttered to Sapphire. "She's going for the martial arts moves. Poor Damon.") "Kee-yah!" Diamond yelled in confirmation, spinning around and side kicking. Damon barely dodged, and already Diamond's second move was coming, a low uppercut aimed at the ribcage. It hit Damon squarely, but he did not make a sound, just grabbed her wrist. This was a mistake. Diamond grabbed the heel of his hand, pried it off hers, and then applied pressure to his elbow with her wrist, forcing him to the ground. "Not bad!" Damon gasped as she pushed a little harder. With a burst of movement he pushed up and nimbly sprung away, sending her sprawling. "But not good enough." "So sorry that I do not meet His Lordship's standards." Diamond snapped, standing back up. To her complete amazement, Damon threw back his head and began to laugh. It was an eerie, wailing sound, like the kind the African hyenas made. She shivered, and pressed her hands lightly over her ears. Damon stopped as abruptly as he had begun. "We're going." He informed Spike and Jedin, turning away. Diamond didn't even try to argue. She had figured out by this time it was pretty much pointless. Spike evidently knew it too. He sighed and began to hover in the air. "Hurry up" was all he said. Jedin, of course, balked. "Why should we?" He demanded. "Why aren't we harming her?" "Because she just gave me the first true laugh I've had in nearly ten thousand years of living." Damon said, deadpan. Jedin rubbed his scalp and sighed in defeat. "We'd better recharge anyway." He glared down at the Senshi. "There'll be another time." "Absolutely!" Amethyst agreed. "Until we kick your butts. Then you will go away." "Looks like we're never leaving." Jedin muttered. Amethyst growled, but Jedin was already gone, blown away by the slightest of breezes. Damon and Spike followed suit. "I can't tell if they a real purpose for leaving, or if they are the biggest chickens this side of the sun." Obsidian muttered, sighing. "Let's go with wimps." Topaz said. "It's more fun that way." 


	11. The Dangerous Dance! The Generals' True...

This chapter is really long and contains a song done by LeAnn Rimes. It is not my song. Do not sue me. Thank you.  
  
Chapter Seven  
  
"OUCH!" Damon yelled, flinging himself away from Katrina. "That hurt!" "Oh, stop being such a wimp!" Katrina scolded. "Come back here and let me heal that back wound!" "I can take care of it myself!" Damon snapped, retreating before her oncoming fingers. "You can't possibly reach it!" Katrina said in exasperation. "Now-just-let- me-" Damon roared as her fingers found his back and black energy poured into his wounds, healing them painfully. "That HURT!!!" He bellowed. "Well, it's all better now." Katrina said calmly, reaching again. "Now, just let me take off that silly bandage-" "Forget it." Damon snapped. "You keep your hands away from my back." Katrina gulped, eyes starting to glisten. "Until I tell you that you can." Damon said hastily, praying Katrina wouldn't explode. It worked. Katrina sighed in melancholy before sitting down cross-legged on the cold black marble floor. Spike chuckled. "Well, aren't we being all sensitive." He teased. "Shut it." Damon growled, tensely feeling his back. "If you had any idea-" "How'd you get that, anyway?" Jedin asked. "That stupid cannonball didn't seem like enough-and where'd the bandage come from?" "The cannonball just relit the pain." Damon replied. "As to where it got it-uh-" "What?" Spike asked, interest in his cold eyes. "You guys are going to laugh." Damon muttered. "Try us." He took a deep breath, then said in a rush, "I saved a human girl from being hit by a car and she made me a bandage out of her shirt." He winced, waiting for the torment. It wasn't long in coming. "YOU?!!" Jedin roared in laughter. "YOU saved a HUMAN?!" His voice trailed away into helpless laughter. "That was sooo sweet." Spike said, clasping his hands together and pretending to swoon. "I think I'll faint!" "Gag me." Uther snorted in disgust. "Saving a human. Didn't think you'd stoop so low." "Hey," Damon said, leaning casually against a pillar. "Let's just say, her energy was very good. A definite winner. Couldn't let it go to waste." "Ahhh, thinking for the future, eh, Damon?" A high voice said as Ithengil walked into view. "Most impressive. Very full, you say?" "Extremely." Damon assured him. "All I have to do is get close enough, and then." He trailed off. "Now that's the Damon we know and love." Spike said with a malicious grin. "So," Jedin said, striding over to Ithengil. "What's up for our energy stealing, chief?" "I've found the energy reading is often highest in what humans call, 'teenagers'." Ithengil said, rubbing his hands together. "They're chock full of life and passion. See if you all can mingle in the-ahem-'high school' environment. Plenty of specimens there. And they're these things called 'parties' that many fine specimens attend, but no one seems to notice if a few vanish. I suggest getting acquainted with these people, gentlemen-and ladies." He hastily added to Katrina. "Learn their ways. You're going to have to mingle with them, at least, for two hours a day. And preferably when no one will notice." "Right." Jedin said, smiling slightly. "Penetrate human culture and get invited to 'parties'. Couldn't be simpler." "Oh, and one more thing!" Ithengil called as Damon, Jedin, Katrina, and Spike began to walk away. "I suggest getting acquainted with the 'populars'. These are often the most pretty and fashion-interested humans. They're the ones with perhaps the most 'parties'-and the most energy." * * * "Welcome back to life in the hell mouth." Angie said with a sigh at lunch on Monday. "We don't live in Sunnydale." Rachelle pointed out. "Isn't school enough of a hell?" Angela asked grumpily, taking a gloomy bite of a ham sandwich. "Most assuredly." Mary said tiredly, stretching. "Man, I am SO sore." "Fighting non-stop against evil people with incredible powers can do that to you." Marisa said, eyeing her tray with suspicion. "The poisoned food still bugging you?" Angie asked with a grin. Lacie shuddered as she watched Marisa gingerly pick up a fork and plunge it into the macaroni and cheese. "Personally, I am never buying again." "I wouldn't." Marisa said, looking with distaste at her entrée. "But it takes too much effort to make a lunch. For me, anyway." Malorie sighed and rolled her eyes before taking a bite of her apple. "Hey, Senshi." Kyle put a brown bag lunch bag next to Rachelle and slid into the seat beside her. Rachelle blushed slightly as his arm went around her shoulder. She snuggled in beside him. "You guys are really sickening." Elisha commented. "You shut up." Angie ordered. "Uh-oh!" Malorie whispered suddenly. "Here comes the slut patrol!" "Oh, no." Mary moaned. "Not Hannah!" "The very same." Marisa said with a sigh and a gulp. A beautiful, thin, extremely curved blond was making her way between the tables, her consort of other blonds not as pretty or as nicely built as she was following. A smirk was formed on her sugar-coated lips as she put her hands on the girls' table. "Well, well, well." She cooed, voice coated sweet but unable to hide the cold undercurrent. "What do we have here? Our resident freaks!" "Looks like you paid another visit to the plastic surgeon, Hannah." Angie said politely, pointedly eyeing her shirt. Hannah leaned down to look Angie in the eye. "Oh, I don't have to fake it." She purred. "Unlike some people." She smiled. "Might I suggest some band-aids?" "Please remove your overwhelmingly sickening rotting-flower perfume from my nostrils." Angie said calmly. "It's Chanel." Hannah said icily, sugar-coating gone. "Is that like gangrene?" Mary asked. Angie grinned at her. Hannah sighed and shook her head sadly. "Ah, our poor little resident nutcase. I suppose you haven't spit on anyone, recently?" "It's called gleeking." Mary said, a bit of darkness creeping into her tone. "Ah, yes." Hannah said in tones of false discovery. "Gleeking. My mistake." "Look, are you just here to torment us?" Malorie demanded. "Or is there some other purpose?" Hannah gave her a mean smile as her girlfriends tittered like a bunch of idiotic birds. She turned icy blue eyes on Kyle, and the look melted into pure sweetness. "Oh, Kyle. Babysitting again?" "You could call it that." Kyle said stiffly, arms tightening protectively around Rachelle, who clung to him with a frightened look. Hannah saw this, and her eyes sharpened. But her sweet smile remained the same. "Just here to tell you I'm hosting a little get-together tonight at my apartment. My folks will be gone. All the-" She looked at the girls and muffled a laugh. "-beautiful people will be there. All the populars. Who knows? Maybe you'll even be able to dump the trash for something- better." With this lovely parting statement, she whirled, short skirt riding just below her butt, and walked away, entourage following, casting Kyle admiring and appreciative leers. Rachelle clutched Kyle's blazer as he glared at Hannah's retreating back. "That bitch." He growled. "That low-life, slutty little-" "Kyle, p-please." Rachelle hiccupped, on the verge of tears. "Ignore h- her. She's just t-trying to get b-between us." Kyle looked down, rage melting into worry. He gently cradled Rachelle's head and murmured something into her ear, making her instantly relax and begin to smile. "She's creepy." Angie remarked. "But it was good to hit her with that gangrene remark, Mary. That was truly well-done." "Thank you, thank you." Mary said, bowing and blowing kisses. "I want to thank the little people. Without you, my insanity would not be possible." Angie grinned before turning to Kyle. "So? Are you going?" Kyle snorted. "Are you kidding? Going to where that whore and her mob will be on me all night? No thanks!" "No." Rachelle said suddenly, eyes closed. "You should go, Kyle. And you're taking us, too." All the girls stared at her in shock. "What!?" Lacie exclaimed. "Go to a popular party? Are you nuts?!" Angie saw the trapped look in Rachelle's eyes. "A premonition?" She asked gently. Rachelle nodded. "I-I've just got this feeling. There'll be an attack. On her party. I-I'm sorry, but it's just so deep." "Understood." Angie said, giving her friend a reassuring glance. "And your premonition might have saved some lives yet." "Um, hello?" Marisa asked. "People? How are we supposed to get in to party in question?? We were not invited. The only one who was invited was Kyle. Remember? So what are we supposed to do to get in?" "Isn't it obvious?" Lacie said with a snort. "We go in disguise! Say we're Kyle's cousins who decided to tag along or something." "All of us with one guy?" Mary asked skeptically. "With one guy what?" A voice behind her asked. Malorie choked on her apple. "You?!" She coughed out. Oz cockily smiled down at her as he took a seat next to her. "Yes, me. You sound so pleased." Marisa blushed as Andrew sat by her. Lance took the seat at the far end by Kyle. "Why must you be here?!" Malorie groaned, laying her head down on the table. "For the same reasons you are, M&M." Oz answered, waiting eagerly for her reply. It was instantaneous. "DON'T CALL ME M&M!!!!!!" Malorie shrieked, throwing her apple core at him. It hit his head and bounced off, striking the floor. Andrew sniggered before turning to Marisa. "What were you guys talking about? About all of you with one guy?" "I bet they're all players." Oz muttered. Malorie whacked him across the head. "Well." Angie hesitated. "There's this-party, that Kyle's been invited to, and we want to go. But the hostess doesn't really like us, so she didn't invite us, so we're trying to think of ways to-sneak in." She blushed. "Hannah's party?" Lance asked, glancing up from his latest novel. Angie nodded in surprise. "How'd you know?" Andrew's lips drew up in a smile. "She was our-ahem-official welcoming committee. Practically killed some girls to talk to us. Introduced herself and invited us all in one breath. Said we could start off right, with the 'popular' crowd." Angie sighed. "That's our Hannah. Popular junior varsity cheerleader by day, party-throwing slut by night." "So, you want to sneak in, huh?" Andrew mused, tilting his head back and resting a thoughtful finger on his chin. "I think that perhaps we could invite our lovely out-of-town friends to join us to the extravaganza party of the year." His voice trailed away as he winked at Angie. She jumped on the hint. "You'd take us?! Really?! You would!?" Oz grinned. "Sure, why not? I could use some fun. Beside, it'll be fun to fool the-cheerleader." "Do we have to ask them for help?" Malorie asked Angie plaintively. "I get dibs on taking M&M in." Oz whispered loudly to Lance, who was clearly not playing any attention and merely replied with a grunt. "Stop that!" Malorie wailed, hitting his arm. "Lance can take Lacie and Elisha." Angie said, eagerly planning it out. "One can be his girlfriend and the other his cousin. If we do that with all of you-Andrew with Marisa and Mary, Oz with Malorie and me-and you each pretend that one of the girls is your girlfriend, you can both help us and completely get rid of any hormone-raging girls." "Should I go in with Kyle?" Rachelle said doubtfully. "I mean, they might recognize me-" "You'll go as his cute 8th grade sister." Angie said teasingly. Rachelle glared at her. "Kidding, kidding." She thought for a second, then grinned craftily. "Go as yourself! I'm sure Kyle can shield you from evil girls. I mean, you are his girlfriend, yes? Of course, for the rest of us, we'll have to do complete makeovers. Change hair, makeup, clothes." She began rambling on as sweat drops formed on everyone's heads. "I think your friend's gone." Lance muttered to Lacie, who nodded reverently. Angie came out of her trance to grin at everyone. "Come on, people! Operation Party has begun!!" * * * Damon stared curiously around at the high-school cafeteria. "This is where these people learn?!" He muttered in disbelief. Beside him, Jedin cackled. "My God! All these life forms, so close together." He licked his lips. "Don't try it!" Katrina warned, brushing a flame red lock from her eyes. "The Senshi are here. They might be watching us, and us not even in disguises.." "I refuse to dress like a human today." Spike said flatly. "Simple minded pathetic little shrimps." Damon agreed with Spike, but for different reasons. What if he went into his disguise and..saw Angie? The embarrassment in front of his friends would be too great if he was kind to her, but if he was mean.. His hand strayed down into the pocket of his human pants to quickly stroke the ripped-shirt bandage that had bound his wound. "Hi!" A sugary voice chirped at his elbow. He drew back and stared down at the ice blue eyes and far too peachy face with pink lips that was happily smiling up at him. "Hello," He replied guardedly, eyeing the human girl nervously. Spike, Jedin, and Katrina had noticed the girl also and were peering over his shoulder. "Is this your friend?" Spike whispered. "No!" Damon hissed, shaking him off a bit. The girl giggled. "Boy, but you lot are cute!!" She said appreciatively, eyeing both Jedin and Spike also. "My name's Hannah Brinks, Head Junior Varsity Cheerleader! And you are.?" "What's a cheerleader?" Katrina asked curiously. Hannah chose to ignore her and kept her eyes focused on Damon's face. "Answer her!" Jedin hissed, driving his elbow into Damon's back. Damon cleared his throat. "I'm-Damon. This is Jedin, Spike, and Katrina." He pointed to each in turn. "Charmed!" Hannah said, obviously thrilled. "So, did you four just move here or what?" "Uh, yeah, we were just-relocated." Damon said, wondering when this obnoxious human would go away. "So, are you guys seniors?" She persisted, showing no sign of leaving. "Um.." Damon replied, looking helplessly at Jedin. "Uh." "Of course we are." Jedin said smoothly, coming out from behind Damon. "What else would we be?" Hannah beamed up at him. "Silly of me, of course you are. Anyway, I was wondering." Damon didn't hear the rest of the conversation. His heart had suddenly leapt up into his throat. Right there, not fifty feet away, sitting at a table with other girls and a few guys, was Angie. She was laughing at something, taking a bite of some small, light brown thing, laughing and smiling. Her eyes traveled up to meet his. He quickly looked away, but not before seeing something like shock penetrating her eyes. He came back into the conversation just in time to her Jedin say, "Of course we'd love to come to your party. Wouldn't miss it!" He gave Hannah his most seductive smile. It was a wonder she didn't fall panting at his feet. Damon rolled his eyes as the blond finally walked back to a table nearby, eyes never leaving Jedin's. "What was that all about?" He inquired. Jedin grinned at him. "We, my friend, have an invitation to a rather large formal party which will undoubtedly be full of many energy-full victims. Plus, very, very pretty girls." He licked his lips. Damon elbowed him. "You are such a pervert." Jedin grinned. "Hey, man, anyway I can get it." Damon laughed, and then let his eyes flick over to Angie. Was it possible.would she perhaps be there.? "Apparently only older students, too." Jedin said loudly, erupting any hope Damon had. "Just-'seniors'-and cheerleaders." "Great." Damon sighed. "Spending a night with humans. Great fun." * * * "Don't freak and don't look around." Angie said in a low voice to Malorie, glancing across the cafeteria. "But Jedin, Spike, Katrina, and Damon are all sitting at a table, and completely undisguised, also." Malorie, of course, gasped and looked around. "Where?! Are they moving?! Are they going to fight!?" She asked frantically. "No!" Angie hissed, grabbing her arm. "And stop that! You'll give us away!" Malorie forced her head down. "What are they doing?" She murmured. "Talking to Hannah." Angie muttered, nonchalantly glancing back. "Hannah." Malorie muttered, thinking. She suddenly sat straight up. "She's probably inviting them to her party!" She gasped. "So that's why Rachelle was getting that premonition." Angie said grimly. "The generals are probably going to take victims' energy, there. What better place? People disappearing into closets and bedrooms all over the place." "We've got to be wary, then, tonight." Malorie whispered. "Very wary." Angie said, watching Damon through narrowed eyes. "Very, very wary." * * * "I cannot believe we're doing this!" Lacie griped several hours later. "I mean, look at me!! My hair is yellow! Yellow!!" "Purple hair is not exactly a common hair color, Lacie-chan!" Angie snapped, fingering her own hair. "We had to change its color!" "All I'm saying is, if this stuff doesn't wash out, I am feeding you to seagulls." Lacie said, giving Angie a deadly glare. All the girls were waiting under the streetlight they had planned to meet under. Each looked entirely different, wrapped in dresses, makeup layered on, and hair styles looking completely, fantastically different. Lacie's had been dyed yellow and let down into cascades of straight locks; her dress was a pale lilac color. Elisha's had been dyed black, and wrapped up into a high ponytail secured with a blue hair-tie which nicely complimented her baby-blue dress. Mary's hair had been swirled into a large, very tight bun, and flesh makeup had been piled on to hide her paleness; her dress was a deep midnight blue. Rachelle looked almost the same as she usually did, except that her hair was in curls. She wore a black dress with a fresh red rose on the shoulder, and a red sash around her waist. Malorie's yellow hair had also been curled, and secured into a low ponytail; her dress was gold, and green contacts covered her blue irises. Marisa's auburn waves had been French-braided into two separate parts, and her sequined sea-green dresses was silky and smooth. As for Angie. Angie nervously patted her hair that had been crimped into long, golden waves that curled nicely around her shoulders. Her dress was silver, and sparkled like the moonlight whenever she moved. She nervously smoothed her dress and touched her hair, which her friends had flatly refused to let her put up. "It's so pretty down." Mary had sighed, touching it wistfully. "Hello, ladies." A gallant voice said. Oz, Andrew, and Lance had strode into the circle of light, each wearing a black suit. Lance, for once, was without a book. No one noticed how hard he swallowed when he saw Lacie, or that he hid shaking hands behind his back. Oz eyed Malorie. "Is that the best you could do?" He asked her. Malorie sniffed and raised her nose. "I refuse to stoop to answering that. I am going to have a good time tonight, and not even you can stop me." "They won't let you in to the party, M&M." Oz teased. "You're too scary." With a growl, Malorie's beige purse connected squarely with Oz's skull. The two fell to bickering, while Elisha sighed and glanced at Angie. "Will you be able to control them, tonight?" She asked. Angie grimaced. "Let's hope so." "Am I late?" Kyle asked, jogging up and panting slightly, but looking fabulous in a white suit. He stopped short and stared at Rachelle, who flushed. "Stop it, Kyle, you're making me blush!" She scolded. Kyle stared at her, mouth hanging open. Slowly it closed, and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She snuggled up to him as he bent down to kiss the crown of her head. "You're so beautiful." He murmured into her hair. "Kyle?" Angie asked directly. "Save it for when we get to the party. We're already late." "Hey, we're fashionably late!" Andrew said, grinning. "It's always right to be late. It's the only way you can be on time." "Okay, that made no sense whatsoever." Lacie said grouchily. "I can't believe I'm doing this. I hate parties." "Hey, how do you think I feel!?" Angie demanded. "I haven't worn a dress since the 8th grade semi-formal!!" "Or a skirt." Rachelle quipped, laughing. Angie grinned. "What can I say? I'm a tomboy through and through." Rachelle sighed. "Someday I will hit you with a large object, stuff you in a big bag, drag you to the mall, and force you to buy makeup and skirts, do you understand?" "You're not serious, right?" Angie asked uncertainly. Rachelle only grinned in reply. "Let's go, people!" Kyle said, slipping his arm around Rachelle's waist. "Otherwise we will become unfashionably late." "We can't just all go barging in at the same time." Angie directed. "You and Rachelle go in first to test the waters. The others will follow in five-minute sequences. Looks less suspicious that way." "I feel like such a spy." Lance complained, sighing as Kyle and Rachelle strode off towards the dark building a block away where, on one whole story, there were lights. Even from where they were standing, you could hear the cheers and music, and the clinks of glasses. A few minutes later, Oz grinned at Malorie and Angie. "So? Shall we go forth to partying?" He asked in a fake-British accent. "Fine." Malorie muttered, stalking past him. An arm suddenly went around her shoulders. "Hey, my girlfriend can't go walking around without me!" Oz said in a drawling tone, mouth close to her ear. "It wouldn't look commendable!" "Who says I have to be your girlfriend?" Malorie demanded, shooting a look at Angie, who was on Oz's other side. "Take Angie. I'll just be your out- of-town cousin." "I have the right to choose who my girlfriend will be!" Oz sniffed in injured dignity as they began to walk towards the building. He looked over at Angie. "No offense meant." "None taken." Angie replied, enjoying her own private fantasy in which Alan would happen to be at the party. * * * Damon covered his ears against the loud blasting noise. "They call this music?!?!" He yelled to Jedin. Jedin patted the girls who had fastened onto his waist. "Allow me a little time alone, ladies, please." He said gallantly. "I shall meet with you..later." He winked at them as the girls giggled and departed. "I know what you mean." He whispered in an undertone to Damon. "Yowch! I've heard dying beasts that sound better than this stuff!" Katrina sidled up to them, an empty glass in her hand. "What's up, guys?" She hiccupped, giggling. "What's that?" Damon asked suspiciously, pointing to the glass. "This?" Katrina giggled, waving it slightly. "This is the life of the party! It's wine." Jedin snatched the glass and sniffed it. "Alcohol." He muttered to Damon. "Incredibly strong, too. She's drunk as a jaybird!" Turning back to Katrina, he asked, "How many glasses of this did you have?" Katrina giggled and slapped his arm. "Why, only fifteen or sixteen, I think." Damon sighed. "Definitely, definitely drunk." "Hey, guys!" Spike said, thrusting his way through the crowds to them. He was glowing. "Come on! Get out and dance!" "What?" Damon asked derisively. "Dance? To this?!" "It gets into your bones, man." Spike said, grinning. "Into your soul, if we had souls. Come on!" He grabbed Jedin's arm and pulled him into the pulsating crowds. Katrina giggled, hiccupped, and followed. "Coming, Damon?" Spike called over his shoulder. "Nah, I'll hang around the edges." Damon called back. "Look for our 'friends'." "Suit yourself!" Spike yelled before the trio vanished into the mob of humans. Damon pounded his fist into the opposite hand in frustration. Half an hour had been wasted in the dance, they hadn't gotten any victims, and the Senshi could be anywhere. He sighed and rolled his eyes. The guys had probably forgotten all about their mission, with all this loud banging. His eyes focused on the opposite end of the room, where the door into the apartment was located. His sharp hearing clearly picked up over the music, the sound of someone knocking. The hostess, Hannah, dressed in a slinky black dress, had obviously heard it too, for she moved away from the wine table and staggered towards the door to open it. He began to slowly move around the room, wanting to get a look at who was trying to enter. He had a strange feeling about this person. * * * "Stop slouching!" Angie hissed at Malorie as they waited outside Hannah's apartment. "I can't help it!" Malorie wailed. "What if she recognizes us?! We'll be dog chow in less than five seconds! Not to mention the laughing stock of the whole school!" "No one will recognize you." Oz said in a commanding voice. "You're actually beautiful now." Malorie blinked at him, not sure whether to take that as a compliment or a criticism. "Uh.meanie?" She offered doubtfully. Oz grinned at her, then straightened as the door began to open. Hannah blinked out at them, hand clutching the doorway. Angie sneezed as alcohol fumes emitted from Hannah's mouth when she spoke. "Oh, Ozzzzz, you came!" She purred, sounding only slightly out of it. "Hello, Hannah." Oz said as kindly as he could, waving his hand lightly in front of his face. "May we come in?" Hannah's eyes fastened on Angie and Malorie, who began to sweat. "Who are they?" She demanded icily, with a hiccup. "This is my girlfriend, Melissa Amiga." Oz said brightly, squeezing Malorie's shoulder as she fake-smiled at Hannah and dug her elbow into Oz's gut. "And this is her best friend, Andromeda Cassiopeia." Angie tried hard not to snicker as she offered Hannah her hand. "Pleased to meet you!" She said brightly. Hannah took the offered hand with some suspicion. "You look like someone I know." She muttered. Angie tossed her head. "Well, I do visit here once in a while, it's a lovely change from New York and Broadway. This is a very quaint little town." Hannah swallowed abruptly, and opened the door wider to let them in. "Well, have a-nice time, tonight." She said as cheerily as she could muster. Malorie smothered a giggle. "I think you took the wind out of her sails with the 'quaint little town' comment." She giggled. "Angie?" Angie did not reply. Her eyes were focused on the midnight-black head of hair that was across the room. "Angie?" Malorie again asked softly. Damon's here. Angie replied telepathically. Malorie stiffened slightly. You sure? Oh yeah. I'm sure. * * * Damon stared at the golden head that had entered the room. His slowly drew in a breath as he looked the figure up and down. A silver dress clung to slender frame, covering apple blossom skin. Golden hair wrapped softly around a graceful, curved neck. Light blue eyes suddenly raised up to fasten on his. Sailor Diamond was here. In human form, and very possibly weak and helpless. But then, the girl in yellow on the other side of a red-haired man had to be Topaz. The Scouts were penetrating the party. A smile creased his lips as the blue eyes widened when they spotted him, and then narrowed to a glare. No doubt she recognized him, also. His smile widened before he turned away into the shadows. Let her come to him. * * * Angie glared over at the black-haired man who was looking at her with those dark blue eyes. Damon was dressed completely in black, from black shoes to black seemingly leather pants to black turtleneck. He looked human, but the aggressive stance his lean body was in was not right for a party. Or, Angie corrected herself, maybe it was. Especially at one of Hannah's parties. The man grinned at her smugly before turning his back and fading into the shadows. Angie ground her teeth. "Jerk." She muttered. "You say something?" Oz inquired. Angie smiled at him. "No, nothing. Listen, I'm a little thirsty, so I think I'd like to go to the refreshments table to see if there's something here besides wine." "Good luck." Oz muttered. "Judging by everyone's condition, looks like water is nonexistent." Angie smiled before weaving her way through the crowds to the punch table. Malorie watched her go nervously. "My own best friend, abandoning me." She joked lightly, trying not to shiver as she spotted Spike's bleached blond head in the middle of the dance floor. "Abandoning you to your boyfriend." Oz teased, starting to pull her out to the dance floor. "Hey, wait!" Malorie protested. "What are you doing?!" "You said you guys wanted to party, right?" Oz asked. "So.party!" Malorie winced as she felt the dancing crowds squeeze in on her. She slowly began moving back and forth to the music. "You really are uptight, M&M." Oz said with a sigh as he rocked around. "Hey!" Malorie said with a pout. "You can't call me that! I am now Melissa Amiga, remember? Hah!" She crowed, moving a bit faster and grinning at Oz's bemused face. "Got you! You can't call me that!" Oz grinned and took her hand as the two abandoned themselves to the crowds. * * * Angie sniffed at a glass before taking a small sip of it, testing to make sure it was, in fact, water. She sighed and rubbed her eyes. "If this is what parties are like, I'll take staying at home any day." She drained her glass of water and sighed, glancing up at the door. Lacie, Lance, and Elisha were just now entering. She grimaced slightly. She hoped Lacie would try not to kill anybody if they accidentally touched her. Of course, right now she looked about tense enough to rip out Hannah's throat. Elisha had spotted Angie. She waved slightly, grinning. Angie grinned back. Damon's here. She whispered in both of their minds. I know. Elisha replied simply. I've seen him. He's over in the shadows. Angie nodded. Be careful. As always, fearless leader. Lacie replied with a small smile. Angie smiled before breaking mind contact. It was too risky, here, with the generals everywhere. Damon had once said he could clearly hear their mind-voices.If he heard them now, he would know for sure that the Jewel Senshi were partying away. Of course, judging by that look he had given her, he probably already knew. Lacie and Elisha sidled their way over to her. "Why, hello, there!" Elisha said, smiling and thrusting a hand towards Angie. "My name's Eleanora Roosebelt!" "And I'm Lilly Moscovitz!" Lacie beamed, thrusting her hand out also. "A pleasure to meet you!" "Hello to you both!" Angie cried, smothering giggles. "My name's Andromeda Cassiopeia! What a lovely surprise to meet you all!" The girls snickered together. "This is hilarious." Elisha giggled, wiping her eyes. "We're fooling the entire school!" "And we might have to save them." Lacie said, grimness coming into her voice. Angie nodded. "You guys stick together. We might have to transform pretty quick. And don't let yourself get caught by anyone!" She glanced around hastily. "Split up from me, I can take care of myself. Just hang close to each other, okay?" Lacie and Elisha nodded before disappearing into the crowds. Angie sighed and reached for another glass of water. "Hey, Angie!" A voice chirped at her elbow. Angie jumped about three feet in the air before realizing who it was. "Rachelle!" She hissed, laughing. "Don't do that! You nearly scared me out of a year's growth." Rachelle smiled. "Sorry about that." She lowered her voice. "Have you seen-" "Damon?" Angie finished. Rachelle nodded. "Yep. I have." "We've got to be careful, Ange." Rachelle whispered. "Just stay close to Kyle and keep one of us in sight constantly." Angie ordered. "And my name's Andromeda Cassiopeia, thank you." Rachelle giggled. "Did Charlie name you that?" "How'd you guess?" Angie said, rolling her eyes. She gave her friend's shoulder a pat. "Good luck to you, my friend." "And to you." Rachelle murmured before drifting back over to Kyle. Angie sighed before glancing around. I'm as tense as a fly at a Bullfrog Convention. She thought with a small, wry smile. "Hey, baby?" Angie recoiled at the sight of a young man-obviously drunk-leaning on the table beside her and leering up at her in a way he obviously thought was charming. She shuddered slightly. "May I help you?" She asked guardedly. The man grinned up at her, trying to brush brown hair out of his eyes. "How about a dance, sweet-cheeks?" Sweet-cheeks. Angie gave the man a cold, brittle smile. "No thank you, sir." She said, voice like ice. The man didn't notice her tone. "Now, don't be haughty, sweet thing." He purred. "I think you'd better come with me." "Do you want yourself thrown over that balcony without an intact liver?" Angie asked conversationally, pointing to the rather large but abandoned balcony. The man brayed like a donkey. "Oh, you're a funny one!" He moved closer to her. The guy immediately found himself on the floor with a fist mark on his face. "Ouch!" He yelped, glaring drunkenly up at Angie. "You little bitch!" "Try that again and you'll find yourself going through the floor, pal!" Angie growled, shaking her fist at him. The man stood up and swayed toward her, scowling angrily. "You're gonna pay for that, you smart-mouthed-" "Andromeda!" Malorie was suddenly at her elbow, dragging her away onto the dance floor. "And you tell us to stay out of trouble! At an enemy's party, you do not go around punching people." "Sorry." Angie said, rubbing her head sheepishly. "He pissed me off. Tried to make a move on me." Malorie rolled her eyes. "Well, no doubt no guy's ever going to approach you again." She teased before glancing around and lowering her voice. "Marisa and Mary just arrived with Andrew. All the Jewel Senshi are mixed in here, and all our eyes are open. If you need help, yell." With that she turned into the crowd, back to where Oz was standing. "Thanks, Topaz." Angie murmured quietly, watching her friend affectionately before beginning to sway to the music. * * * Damon kept a close watch on the golden human. He saw her meet with other girls and saw them laugh together, as if sharing some secret. Probably more Jewel Senshi, He thought in derision. But Diamond stayed by herself. She constantly glanced around, as if she felt his intense gaze. He smiled, baring his teeth. The only direction she refused to look in was where he was. He had no doubt she knew that they were here. But now what to do. "Try that again and you'll find yourself going through the floor, pal!" Someone yelled. His head shot up to see Diamond shaking her fist at a guy on the floor. She was glaring at him furiously, blue eyes sending out sparks. He chuckled to himself. Fierce little bunny. A yellow haired girl-Topaz-ran up and dragged Diamond into the crowds, saying something sharply to her. Diamond looked embarrassed but still pleased. She grinned at Topaz, who grinned back before leaving her to go over to a red-haired man. Diamond stayed where she was, dancing a little, grace defined in her movements. "So strange." He murmured to himself. Part sweet, graceful girl, part fierce, defensive warrior. It was an interesting, deadly combination. He began to move forward out of the shadows to the opposite end of the dance floor from Diamond. * * * "I officially despise my fellow man." Angie muttered to herself as she fended off the fourth move on her that night. "Maybe I should just let Damon and his lot kill a few. A lot of these people wouldn't go to waste." "So glad you agree." A smooth voice said. Angie tensed immediately, eyes rising to the man standing a few paces away. The lights darkened. People instinctively cleared the dance floor, sensing something strange was about to happen. Leaving two people alone, staring at each other, one in fear and hatred, the other in cocky triumph. A new song came on. It had a strange, almost Spanish beat to it. The people on the edges of the floor whispered back and forth to each other. What was happening? They asked. What was going on? Under a lover's sky I'm gonna be with you And no one's gonna be around. Angie slowly began walking around the dance floor, swaying slightly. Damon moved in the same direction, always keeping her directly across from him. The two kept their eyes locked from the opposite sides, moving slowly, but now getting quicker and quicker. If you think that You won't fall Well just wait till the sun goes down. The two continued circling for a few moments more, more dance moves being thrown in here and there. Then Angie suddenly twirled in as Damon moved forward quickly to catch her around her waist. Angie's hands moved up to grab his shoulders. Then they flew apart, hands linking at the last moment. Underneath the starlight, starlight There's a magical feeling so right, Let it steal your heart tonight. The two let go, Angie spinning in circles, letting her dress fan out in silky waves. Damon moved forward to her back to grab her shoulders and spin her roughly around to meet his eyes. You can try to resist Try to hide from my kiss, Angie spun away, half in pure distaste, half in dance. She twirled a few times before stopping, arms near her waist. Damon had meanwhile moved back also, eyes even blacker against the little light there was. Angie's breath caught in her throat. A fiery feeling coursed through her as she let pure passion for dancing take over. Damon's eyes sharpened as Diamond arched her neck and twirled back in, leaping up at the last second. His arms moved and he caught her, one knee bent slightly. But she felt-light. Almost a cloud. She arched her back slightly, giving him a full view of graceful white neck before she slid off him to land gracefully on her own two feet. But you know, but you know that you, Can't fight the moonlight. "Check out these two!" Someone yelled in awe. Rachelle glanced up from her corner with Kyle. "What's going on?" She asked. "Why's it so dark? And why is everyone looking at the dance floor?" "Um." Kyle said nervously, who had a better view than she did. "Did you say Damon was tall, dark, cute, and clothed in black?" "Yeah!" Rachelle exclaimed in alarm. "Is he draining someone?!" "No." Kyle said slowly. "He's.dancing. With Angie, I believe. And it's getting pretty hot on the floor, if you get my drift." "Angie?!" Rachelle gasped. "Dancing sexily with a guy!?" "Let's hope not with a girl." Kyle said dryly. Rachelle grabbed his hand. "Come on! We've got to get in closer!" Angie slid all the way to the floor, feet on the floor but knees raised and legs crossed. She was glad she was on the floor, because the look Damon gave her-that heated, terrible, intense gaze-would have probably sent her there anyway. She felt warm, burning all over, flame and heat coursing from her heart. Damon's smoldering eyes looked her up and down before he reached out a hand. She took it and he pulled her up to his level, so that those eyes were looking straight at her. She shivered slightly before darting back, spinning around, letting her skirt fly out in all directions, sending him a coy glance. Damon wondered if the little minx knew what she was doing to him. Deep in the dark, you'll surrender your heart, But you know, but you know that you, Can't fight the moonlight. With the softest of growls, he moved forward swiftly, wrapping arms around her waist. She leaned back into him, the crown of her head brushing his lips. He leaned back also, to keep away from the sensation. But she went with him. Almost angrily he rose back up to straightness, then half- twisted, half-flung her away, snagging her hand at the last second. Angie gasped at the force she felt in Damon. He was strong, she had known, but the power she felt..He could have reached out his hand and crushed her skull without a second thought. Like a tiger. She shivered. And she was the deer. The prey. She didn't feel in control anymore, of herself, of her moves, of her spirit. Damon had captured them all now, as easily as he had grabbed her hand. He was in control of the dance that was more than a dance, now. He bared his teeth slightly at her as she looked back at him from their arms' length apart. She sent him a look of cold arrogance before turning her head away . A sharp jerk both turned her around and pulled her close to warm arms again. "Not this time, pet." Damon murmured, voice a smooth growl, like a tiger's. "This time, I'm calling the shots." "Says you." Angie replied coldly, wishing he would let go of her at the same time that her treacherous arms went around his neck. No, you can't fight it. No, you can't fight it. It's gonna get to your heart. Damon's hands moved to her waist. Sensing what was happening, Angie pushed off the ground at the same time he lifted. He really IS strong!! She thought in awe as Damon began to twirl her around in the air, hands like steal vices on her hips and eyes never once showing weakness. She relaxed her grip on his shoulders, and slowly raised her arms into the air, stretched and almost touching the ceiling. It would be easy to kill her now, Damon realized. Just one tight squeeze on her hips could break her backbone. Leaving her helpless enough. But the expression on her face..pure trust and freedom. Her arms were lifted to the ceiling, and her smile was brightening up the room. There's no escaping love, Once a gentle breeze, Sweeps it's spell upon your heart. Slowly, almost gently, Damon lowered her, arms never wavering. She gave him an unintentional grin as she spun away, arms still curved out. Then Diamond stopped on the edge of the circle again, and cocked an eyebrow at him. He moved backwards as well, intentionally giving her a ferocious glare. She responded with only a smile, a teasing but peaceful smile, before beginning to spin around the circle, turning her head to keep herself from getting dizzy. And no matter what you think, It won't be too long, Till you're in my arms. Damon stayed where he was on the circle, watching as Diamond pirouetted towards him. She had to have been a dancer at one point, the grace in which she held her arms and legs and neck was almost unbelievable. Her head snapped around to see him. She grinned again and stopped spinning an inch away from him, swaying a little. Angie grinned to herself as she tried to get the floor to right itself. All that spinning made her dizzy! She swayed back and forth a few times before a strong arm grabbed hers and brought her close, another am going to her waist. Instinctively she raised her other hand up to Damon's shoulder. Deep eyes gazed at her from under dark eyelashes. She stared up at him, grin fading. The moment lasted for a split second before slowly, Damon guiding her, they began to dance, the old-fashioned ballroom way. "Hey, you guys from a team, or something?" Someone asked as they swirled by. He was completely ignored. But similar whispers were coming from the walls- "They're like from a fairytale." "A Cinderella and her prince!" "Diamond! Snap out of it!" The last one was Mary, who had pushed her way through the crowds to watch in horror. But Angie completely ignored her, and danced away in Damon's arms. She's gone absolutely nuts, Mary thought to herself, watching helplessly. "What's happening?!" Malorie asked in horror, coming out right underneath Mary's elbow. "Ang-er, Andromeda's dancing with Damon!" Mary hissed, banging her hand to her forehead in frustration. "Is there something wrong with that?" Oz asked, confused. "We don't like him." Malorie muttered, blinking out at the two dancers. Underneath the starlight, starlight, We'll be lost in the rhythm, so right, It will steal your heart tonight. Angie heard Mary's hiss of warning, but somehow-she ignored it. Completely. And it wasn't she didn't hear her either. Though maybe she didn't want to. She frowned to herself. What was coming over her? She moved back from Damon. Before she knew it, she was spinning again, this time in place. Stop it!!!!! She yelled at herself. I don't want to. The other part of her answered giddily. You must! The first part said severely. No way!! The other part beat the first one senseless and continued to enjoy the dancing. Damon had noticed the frown that slipped over her pretty features for an instant before vanishing. She looked like she was having a private argument with herself. In five seconds, the happy look was back, the more serious one having obviously being beaten into submission. He half-smiled himself, moving forward to grab her, arms entwining around her thin stomach. You can try to resist, Try to hide from my kiss, "Aren't we supposed to be fighting?" Angie calmly asked Damon in a whisper, as he leaned back and she lifted her feet from the floor, kicking out flapper-style. "Supposedly." Damon replied, holding her tight so she could kick out again. "Then why are we dancing?" "No idea." But you know, but you know that you, Can't fight the moonlight. Angie pulled away as her feet touched down, leaping back a step. Damon still had a tight hold on her hand, though, not letting her go too far. She let her feet slide down until her was almost parallel to the floor, the only thing keeping her from falling being Damon's hand. Damon's breath left him as he looked down at the golden girl so close. She was looking up at him, both fear and trust in her eyes. Don't drop me, her eyes seemed to be begging. Please, please, don't drop me. Don't let me go. "Never." He muttered out loud. Never let her go. Deep in the dark, You'll surrender your heart, But you know, but you know, that you, Can't fight the moonlight! "We have a problem." Jedin muttered into Spike's ear. "Huh?" Spike said, disentangling himself from the group of girls crowded around him. "Look to the center of the dance floor." Jedin instructed quietly. Spike looked, looked again, and gasped. "Is that-no, it can't be-" "Yup." Jedin said grimly. "It's Damon." Spike stared at his friend in silence. "I didn't know he knew how to dance so well!" He said finally. Jedin smacked the back of his head. "Spike!!! Look who he's dancing with." Spike's eyes narrowed as he looked the girl over. "That girl looks familiar.." Jedin rolled his eyes. "Try picturing her in a golden sailor suit." Spike gasped. "NO-not Damon-he wouldn't dance with Sailor Diamond!!!" "What does it look like?!" Jedin demanded. "He's having tea with her?!" Spike smacked Jedin's head. "Spare me your sarcasm-let's go get her and stop him!" Angie sighed happily as Damon pulled her back up to an upright position. She rested her head lightly on his chest, just under his chin, and listened to his heartbeat. He's so warm, she thought dreamily. Cozy. Comfortable. Safe. No, not safe. Not safe. Evil. Warm. Damon gazed down at the head resting just below his chin in some perplexity. Strange little golden bird. Dangerous, yet sweet. Cunning, yet caring. Deadly beauty. And why does she trust me enough to lay her head on my chest? Hannah was watching the two dancers with less drunken interest and more cold craftiness. "Those two." She muttered. She suddenly turned to the boy beside her and grabbed his hands. "Dance with me too!" She demanded, pulling him out. Surprised, the boy attempted to mimic the complicated moves the two dancers had accomplished-and failed miserably. Hannah did the best she could, not even coming close to surpassing Angie's show. "Idiot!" She raged, hitting the miserable boy on the head. But her idea had caught on. People began flooding the floor in couples now, copying the moves done by Damon and Angie, more or less succeeding. At least, they were all doing better than Hannah and her partner had. Angie lifted her head to look at the various couples swirling around them. She smiled lightly, realizing they were trying to copy her and Damon. Amateurs, she thought in amusement, watching one couple trip over the feet of another and go sprawling. She moved slightly to the side of Damon, making it so she had to turn her neck to look straight at him. He was looking down at her, the faintest smile playing on his face. She grinned back as they began to turn together, listening to the beat of the music in the background, never breaking eye contact. Gorgeous eyes.Angie thought. Beautiful eyes...Damon whispered to himself. Full of depth, mystery.. Full of purity, love for life. Angie chuckled to herself. I'm in deadly peril, and I'm crushing on a bad guy. My life's reached optimum weirdness. Underneath the starlight, starlight, There's a magic for feeling so right, Let it steal your heart tonight- The two continued whirling endlessly, the room and the people around them seemingly forgotten. They were floating on clouds, leaving the drab, boring planet behind. Dancing for infinity, in a sugar-spun mist dream. Someone back on Earth bumped into their bodies, wrenching their souls back from their escapade. Angie stumbled, tripped, and began to fall. She shut her eyes and winced, getting ready for the pain. Strong arms caught her underneath her back a foot from the floor. Angie wrapped her arms tightly about Damon's neck, not wanting him to let go. Or maybe not wanting to let go of him. You can try to resist, Try to hide from my kiss, But you know, but you know that you, Can't fight the moonlight. Damon drew in a sharp breath as he looked at the girl hovering just below him. She was close. So, so close.. Angie laughed, hugging Damon's neck, till she looked up and saw his eyes. They were rapidly flickering from black to deep blue. Her laughter died on her lips as she stared at him, heat reaching its peak in her stomach. She shivered at its intensity, the same intensity that Damon's eyes had... Damon groaned a little, watching those warm, sky blue eyes staring into his. The thick ice protection around his heart began to thaw and melt a little. He tried desperately to make his hatred for the Senshi sear again, tried to make his eyes stay black, but those damn eyes..peering at him like they knew every slight detail..skin, fair as a midsummer day.hair, sun- kissed and wind-swept...and lips, soft as silk, smooth as rose blossoms. Very, very carefully, he brought one hand out from under body, clasping her tight with the other arm. Very gently, he reached out with one finger to gently stroke her lips. Angie nearly melted under the gentle touch. She closed her eyes, enjoying the sensations sweeping over her in electrifying waves. Damon's head bent close, his hair brush her forehead. "Hey, you two! Are you going to stay that way all night?" Damon's head snapped up, eyes immediately blackened. He pulled Angie up from the hold, and roughly straightened and let go. Horrified at what had almost happened, Angie turned away, heading for the milling crowd. "What do you want?" Damon growled, teeth sharpening. The boy backed away nervously. "Hey, man, it's just-you and your girlfriend didn't seem to be coming up for air-just thought you'd like to know the song was over-" "Thank you." Damon snapped, turning away to look at Diamond- She was gone. His eyes snapped up just in time to see that golden head disappearing into the crowds. * * * Angie pushed her way through the crowds, tears half-dimming her vision. She shoved blindly at anyone who got at her way, muttering apologies as she made her way towards the balcony. "Diamond!" Rachelle, Malorie, and Mary were at her side in an instant. "What's wrong?" Rachelle asked anxiously. "N-nothing." Angie replied shakily. "Just-I can't believe I did that-" "Danced that way with a guy? Neither can I!" Mary laughed, a little ruefully. "With Damon." Angie said sharply, turning to glare at her black-haired friend. "With the enemy. With the guy I hate most." There was a long pause. "I've got to be alone for a while." Angie mumbled, turning away to move towards the balcony again. Malorie reached for her, but Rachelle grabbed her arm. "Not now." She whispered. "Let her alone. Whatever happened-between those two-she needs to be alone to think about it." Malorie bit her lip and nodded, watching as her friend slipped out onto the balcony. * * * Angie hurled herself onto the balcony's railing, gasping for breath. The images of the dance were surging unstoppably through her brain in a huge flow like a river. She clenched her hands as she tried to quench the flow, beating at her head with small fists. Slowly, the thoughts almost stopped. Her head grew cool and sharp, and almost clear, except for that one annoying image that kept popping up- The image of Damon- Fingers, touching her lips- She reached up and gently touched her own lip in remembrance. He was so warm. So-protective, almost. Strong. Powerful. Oh, god. She thought, as an idea came crashing down into her brain, bringing back the hysteria, the emotions she had felt earlier, every memory she had, since the moment she laid eyes on him- I wonder..could I maybe be in. "Hey, pet." She shoved her new discovery to the back of her mind as she turned to face the shadows. "Where are you?" She asked suspiciously, peering into the blackness. A low chuckle echoed sinuously as Damon stepped forth, materializing out of darkness into the glow of moonlight. "Right here, pet." "I'm not your pet." Angie snapped, thinking she sounded like an idiot. "So sorry." The two stared at each other in silence for a moment. "Look." Angie said finally. "If you're going to kill me, I'd just as soon you'd get it over with. I really am not in the mood to fight you right now." Surprise lightened Damon's eyes before fading back into craftiness. "What makes you think I'd do that?" "Oh, gee, I don't know." Angie replied sarcastically. "Maybe the fact that we're hated enemies, or maybe it's cause you've tried to kill me, or maybe because your friends would kill my friends without a single qualm-and vice versa-or maybe because you just danced with me!" "The last reason makes no sense." Damon remarked. "SO?" Angie snapped, in no mood to be reasonable. "The POINT is, it's more likely you'll kill me sooner or later than you won't, so I wish you would do it now and stop beating around the bush like you've been doing!!!" Damon stared at her a moment before throwing back a head to laugh-a hearty, full-throated roar. "You are the oddest human, you know." "What?" Angie snapped. "I didn't come out here to kill you." Damon said, very slowly as if talking to a stupid child. "I came to give you something." "What?" Angie retorted. "A good-night kiss?" Damon's eyes narrowed as he moved to grasp something behind his back. Angie tensed, hand straying to the bracelet on her right wrist. Just three little words. Slowly, Damon brought his hand out from behind his back. Angie gasped as she stared at what was lying in an open palm. It was a full rose, at the peak of its life, petals carved perfectly, curved to pure loveliness. But it wasn't red, yellow, or pink-it was black. Pure, deep, moonless-night black. Not rotting or fading away, but- dark. Evil, almost. Sinister, at least. Not unlike Damon, Angie realized. Beautiful but evil. Handsome, but sinister. "It's beautiful." She said, reaching out to touch a silky black petal. Damon carefully deposited it into her outstretched hand. "Mind the thorns." He warned. "They're razor sharp-" "Ow!" Angie yelped, sticking her finger in her mouth and eyeing the wicked sharp thorns angrily. 'Stupid thorns." She muttered, removing her finger from her mouth to inspect it. A drop of blood formed on her index finger, red against the silver moonlight and peach color of her hand. "Told you." Damon said jauntily, forcing his eyes away from the glistening blood. She gave the rose a last look before holding it back out to him. He put up his hands. "It's yours." "Will it die?" Angie found herself asking, staring into the black depths of inky petals. "Not unless I do." Damon replied, biting his lip in frustration. He hadn't meant to say that! "Just keep it in a vase with water." Angie eyed it a moment more before carefully grasping it and securing it behind one ear. She gave him a searching look. "What's it mean?" "It's a promise." "Of what?" His eyes seemed to grow black. "Of something you need not know yet." She frowned, but seemed to accept this. "Thank you." He blinked. "For what?" She grinned at him suddenly, face illuminated by moonlight. "For something you don't need to know yet." Damon stared at her, half in amusement, half in awe. "Who are you?" Angie turned to stare up at the full moon for a moment, and at the stars surrounding it. "Andromeda Cassiopeia." Damon narrowed his eyes. "That's not a real name." "Well, what do you want me to say?" She asked. "I'm Sailor Diamond. A warrior. That name suits me as of now." He sighed. "You're a strange person." "Thank you." She said, smiling. There was a sudden huge crash of glass breaking. Damon and Angie turned to look, just as Sailor Emerald landed at Angie's feet. "Hi, Diamond." She said cheerfully, ignoring the large piece of glass sticking out of her shoulder. "Wanna transform and help us about now?" Angie blinked down at her friend. "Uh..yeah, okay." Sailor Emerald bounced back up, perkily grinning, and trotting back in through the big hole she had punched in the glass. Damon watched her go in confusion. He turned around to ask the girl- "Diamond Star Power-MAKE UP!!!!!!" A nova of golden light and pure energy swirled around, completely blinding Damon. He yelled and covered his eyes, squinting to see the occasionally visible figure. The light cleared away as quickly as it had come. Damon stared at the figure he saw before him. Completely changed, but completely beautiful still. Short gold skirt, hair straight but still as golden and soft looking, eyes still that snapping, fiery blue. But she was deadly now. "We're enemies, now." Sailor Diamond said softly to Damon, walking past him. "You should be trying to kill me again." Damon looked almost wistfully at the proudly arched neck and straight back as Diamond made her way inside. * * * "Whoo-hoo!" Katrina yelled drunkenly as she bit deep into the neck of a blonde boy. "Now this is what I call a party!" "Say it, girl." Spike muttered, raising his head from a bleeding girl's neck. "Ah, and here I see we have our friendly neighborhood party crashers." A light voice said from the balcony. Jedin turned to glare at the figure illuminated by moonlight. "We knew you'd be here." He snarled with a grin. "Well, how convenient!" Diamond said in surprise, walking forward. "Huh. Just like we knew you'd be here! Go figure. But let's think-who always shows up to drain energy, and who always has to find them? If you ask me, I think our effort was a little better. Sorry! You'll have to settle for second place." Katrina giggled. "You're a funny human!" She hiccupped, pointing a finger at her and firing. Diamond gasped and barely ducked in time as a black beam destroyed what was left of the glass door. "You know, you have all the signs of an obsessive compulsive!" She yelled at Katrina. "Not to mention a drunkard! Yeesh! Never mind drinking and driving, try drinking and fighting! Not a good combo." Katrina giggled again before waving her hand. "Oh, do go on, you tell such lovely stories." "Don't try to talk to her." Obsidian remarked from the doorway to the hall. "She's twice as drunk as a redneck!" "How'd you get everyone cleared out so fast?" Diamond asked, running to her friends' side. "Well, Katrina blew away any surprise attempt by tossing a guy into the wine table after she had drained him. After that, it was fairly easy." Topaz reported. Then, with a snort, "All the ones who weren't stoned drunk, at any rate." "Have we attacked?" Diamond inquired. "We're in a bit of trouble." Sapphire muttered into her ear. "Every time we try, someone always attacks us before we can complete the attack phrase!!!! That's how Emerald got thrown through the door!" "Aggravating." Diamond muttered. "Have you tried attacking two at once?" "Yep." Amethyst said grimly, pulling the glass out of Emerald's shoulder. "Considering the fact that we're outnumbered in strength and skill should lead you to the conclusion." Stung, Diamond snapped, "Well, excuse me for trying to think of ideas rather than cower in a corner while they drain people!!!!!" Amethyst turned away, shame-faced. "Sorry," she muttered. Diamond took a deep breath, and stood up. "What are you doing?!" Garnet demanded. "They'll decimate you." Diamond ignored her. She calmly strode to two feet in front of the generals, and then announced in a loud voice, "Jedin is a dirty, slime- mouthed, tootsie-roll eating Popsicle who is exactly like a slug, except that the slug looks better." Jedin's head snapped up. He stared at her, open-mouthed. "Katrina is a drunk little slut who enjoys being a guy's bitch and being taken advantage of. She's the easiest girl in the universe." Diamond continued, making sure to state this as clearly as she could. Katrina burped drunkenly, and stared at her, hiccupping slightly. "And Spike is a Blondie-bear who has a witch of a girlfriend who sings to herself like a retarded child and is nothing but a slut." Diamond finished, glaring at Spike's head. Spike calmly dropped his victim and looked up at Diamond, wiping the blood up his mouth. "I wonder what we should put on the grave, Defender of Justice, or Warrior of Good?" He asked Jedin. "Never mind the coffin. Let's just put her in a box. All that's going to be left of her is going to be able to fit in one." Jedin snarled, dropping his girl and stepping over her. Diamond eyed them coolly. "You want to kill me? Then." She took off in a sudden sprint for the door. "Catch me!" She yelled, before she was gone. With an animal snarl, Spike was running after her, followed closely by Jedin. Katrina giggled. "Get the Senshi! Wheeeeee.." She took a step, hiccupped, and promptly fell on the floor, out like a light. "Disgusting." Garnet remarked, standing up and trotting over to examine Katrina. "Like your friend." A voice said from behind her. Garnet turned in time to see Jedin's fist come at her. The blow sent her flying through the broken glass door and out onto the balcony, all the way to marble railing. Garnet hit the railing with a crack. The marble shuddered, and crumbled into nothing, dust raining down fifteen stories. And Garnet, with nothing to stop her fall, clung to the edge of the balcony for dear life. "Help me!" She screamed, willing for someone, anyone to come. "Someone! Scouts?! Guys!" She gulped and looked down. The world tilted crazily so far below her. "HELP!" Her grip on the marble began to slip. She frantically grasped at the smooth slipperiness, terror clouding her eyes. "HELP!!!!!" A tanned face with purple eyes appeared just above her. "Garnet!" "Kyle?!" Garnet gasped, looking up into those blessed, blessed eyes. "Kyle, oh god-" "Hang in there." Kyle ordered, grabbing her arms. He turned his head to yell over his shoulder. "Hey! Can we get some help over here?!" There was the sound of feet, and then half a dozen boys appeared above her. They grabbed at her arms and hands, some reaching all the way down to grab her fuku top. A head of bright blond hair appeared to the side of everyone. "Hang in there, miss." Chase said calmly, like he pulled girls from death everyday. "Everybody ready-pull!" All the guys gave a mighty heave. Garnet found herself being quickly yanked up. Her feet kicked in the air, they hit something hard-and then she was resting on solid ground again. She took a deep breath, resisted to urge to kiss the balcony floor, and turned to the boys to bow. "Thank you. I owe you my life." Chase grinned. "Hey, we owe you ours for fighting those-things-inside." He said cheerfully. There was a smash, and Katrina was flung onto the balcony, still giggling drunkenly. She slid neatly to the guys' and Garnet's feet. Sapphire looked out through the hole in the door. "You all right, Garnet?! How'd you get saved?!" "Some guardian angels pulled me from certain death." Garnet said with a smile, patting Kyle's head affectionately. Sapphire hesitated when she saw Chase among the group, but she made her way up to them and bowed. "T-thank you, for my friend's life. We'll always defend the populace." She said awkwardly, rubbing the back of her head. The guys nodded quickly, then moved past Sapphire and skirted Katrina in a wide range. The idea of evil super villains was comparatively new to this town. Chase had not left. He looked at her closely. A slow smile drew across his face. "Now I remember you. You're the angel who saved my life in the cafeteria, right?" Sapphire blushed and nodded. "Just doing my job." She muttered shyly. An idea flickered in Chase's mind. He bent down to look into Sapphire's eyes. "Can I say thank you this time?" Before Sapphire could respond or even guess what was going on, Chase had moved his face forward and gently placed his lips on hers. Sapphire's eyes open wide and she half-gasped into the kiss, but she did not pull back or slap him. Slowly, her eyes fluttered shut as she began to enjoy it. His lips were soft, almost like kissing a cloud. Chase gently broke out of the kiss and backed away. He smiled at her and strode back into the ruined apartment, stepping over part of Katrina on the way. Sapphire sighed as she dreamily touched her lips. "Wow." "Oh, Sapphire!" Garnet breathed, entranced. "Oh, wow! Was that your first time?" Dazedly, Sapphire nodded. "Wow.." Garnet sighed. "That was really beautiful. And so romantic, too!" Obsidian stuck her head out through the missing glass. "Hey! Hel-lo!! Scouts! We have un problemo!" "What is it?" Garnet asked grouchily, not enjoying the call back to reality. "Wow." Sapphire said dreamily. "It's Diamond." Obsidian said tersely. "She's in trouble." * * * "God, oh God, oh God, oh God." Diamond muttered, sprinting down the hallway outside Hannah's apartment. Spike was right on her tail, with Jedin only a few yards behind. And they were beginning to gain on her. "God, oh God-" Diamond cursed as the end of the hallway loomed up in front of her. There were no stairs, just two elevators and a few rooms. Diamond pounded on the elevator button for down. "Please-" She muttered. "Please, please, please-" She ran to the other elevator and pounded the button for up. "Come on, come on!!" She glanced back. Spike was only thirty yards away! "No fun getting rammed into two separate pieces!" Diamond decided, grabbing in between the crack of the doors for the second elevator. She concentrated, and began to pull as hard as she could. Slowly the elevator doors began to open. A sweat broke on Diamond forehead as she held them open two feet apart. She looked up and saw the elevator coming down. Just a few more seconds. Spike was so close. The elevator settled into place and its doors opened with a "ping!" "Up! UP!" Diamond screamed, leaping in and pressing the top floor button and the doors-close one. She had a glimpse of Spike's furious face not five feet from the elevator before the doors closed and the elevator began to shoot up the stories. She leaned on one of the cold mirrors that made up the walls and ceiling, gasping for air, shaking a little at the near- collision. She stared up at the floor counter over the doors. 17, 18, 19. "God." She breathed, shoving sweaty hair back from her face. "Wonder where Damon is?" Not that it matters, she added silently. We're enemies, now. He'll try to kill me again. Won't he? A "ping!" startled her out of her thoughts. The elevator doors had opened, and Diamond walked out, rubbing her eyes. "Man, when they say top floor, they mean top floor." She muttered, gazing around at the building's roof top. It was gravelly, with a few ventilation shafts here and there, and a generator in the corner. "I wonder if they'll try to find me up here." Diamond wondered, going to the edge of the rooftop and peering down at the ground a full thirty stories below. "Well if we didn't, it would take all the fun away from our game of hide and seek, wouldn't it?" Spike said cheerily from behind her. Diamond froze, mind shutting down in panic and terror and just plain fatigue. "Jeez." She muttered, trying not to fall to her knees. No way was she going to die bowing to these creeps. Spike strode forward from the hole he had made shooting up fifteen stories. "Lovely view." He commented, gazing out at the city. "One day, all this will be ours. All the people in it, too." He leered at Diamond. She spat at his boots. "Go to hell. This town'll never be yours." Spike shook his head pityingly. "It already is, pet. It already is." "For the last time-I'M NOT ANYONE'S PET!!!!!" Diamond yelled. "And that includes you, Damon!!!!!" She pointed at the dark haired figure who was hovering just above the hole. Damon raised his hands. "Not even dreaming of calling you pet, pet." Diamond sighed. "That's it. I give up!" "You give up your fight?" Spike questioned, delight springing into empty eyes. "No, I give up ever trying to get you lot to stop being annoying." Diamond retorted, sighing and forcing her mind to stop spinning. "Didn't know you had ever started." Damon muttered. "Shut up, Damon." Spike ordered, not looking back. Damon stared at him, startled. "Spike?" "I said, shut up." Spike said in his most dangerous tone. Damon found himself glaring at the back of Spike's head. "Why should I listen to you?" He asked, his own voice dropping into darkness. The air around the two men crackled with drawing power. Diamond stared at them, horrified, and stepped backward. Her foot knocked against the edge of the building, and she looked down all those stories. Nothing to break her fall- Wait. Twenty stories down. There was something.sticking out of the side of the building. "Because you let the girl go one too many times!" Spike growled, glaring at Damon. "She insulted my girlfriend. And now, I'm going to kill her." "And I'm going to help." Jedin added, making his own hole right beside Spike as he shot up. Damon sighed. "Fine. Go ahead and try. You'll never do it. She's tricky." "He's right!" Diamond said cheerfully, hoping the terror at what she had to do wouldn't show in her voice. Spike swung around to glare at her. "I'm going to feed your eyeballs to my Screamers!" He swore. Diamond blinked and edged back just a little. "Well, that's nice." She smiled a winning, bright smile at all three men. "Well, chaps, it's been fun, but, I'm leaving." "You're leaving?!" Jedin asked with a snort. "Where can you go? We're not going to let you use our holes or the elevator." Diamond only smiled. Oh, my God....she thought in her mind. God, oh god, oh god. Damon saw what she was going to do a split second before she did it. His mouth dropped open as he stared at the girl. She gave him a mysterious smile, and bent her knees. "Get her!" He yelled. "She's going to-" Too late. Diamond jumped into the air and back-dived off the building. Spike roared in disbelief and ran to the edge. "I don't believe it! She's going to kill herself!" "Hey, let me see!" Jedin protested, elbowing Spike out of the way to peer down. Meanwhile. "God, oh my GOD!!" Diamond screamed, watching the ground come flying up at her. "Okay, calm down, count the stories-where's that damn-" She froze, and tried desperately to fling her body sideways in the air, aiming for the side of the building. The balcony for Hannah's apartment on the fifteenth story whizzed past-Garnet and Kyle were still out on the balcony-she caught a glimpse of Garnet's horrified face-"Come on." She muttered, moving her arms and legs in frantic swimming motions. "Come on-" The flagpole sticking out of the wall on the tenth story-it was right there-she was too far away-she was going to miss- "Unnngh!" With a huge effort, she flung herself the two feet more that was necessary, and her left hand got hold of the flagpole-which miraculously did not break. Her flight abruptly stopped with her arm being yanked out of the shoulder socket. "OW!" With tears in her eyes, she scrambled to desperately get a better hold on the slippery metal pole-and ended up hanging by her ankles, rubbing her left shoulder. "Great." She muttered. "BRILLIANT plan, jumping off the building. Next time, I'll just jump out of an airplane without a parachute. Or maybe the Empire State Building." Gingerly, trying to ignore the stabbing pain in her shoulder, she swung up to grab the flag pole with her hands. Her posture now somewhat resembled a sloth. She giggled at what anyone would think if they looked out the window right now. A cry of "There!" made her look up. Dimly she could see two blond heads peering over the top of the building at her. She carefully let go of the pole with one hand to wave happily up at them. "Hi!" She called. There were a few loud curses, then the heads disappeared. Diamond began to laugh as she grabbed the pole with both hands again. She hung for a few minutes, giggling and shaking with laughter. "Oh, jeez." She chuckled, finally wiping her eyes. "What I would give to have seen Spike's face." A loud scream from a few stories up made her sigh. "Great. Back to the battle." Carefully she let go with her legs and began to swing back and forth, legs aimed at a window a few feet away. "Ready." Diamond muttered. "Aim.FIRE!!!" With that, she let go, and sailed through the glass. She landed hard on- fortunately-nicely carpeted floor and rolled a few feet before she hit the wall. "Ow." There was a scream, and a light came on. Two people sat up from a large bed a few paces away, staring at her. Diamond waved a little from her upside-down position against the wall. "Hello." The woman-a nice, middle-aged brunette type-screamed and clutched at the blankets around her. "It talks!" She yelled, panicking. "Excuse me?!" Diamond said indignantly. "I'm a she, not an it!" "Are you-human?" The man asked steadily, slightly less afraid than his wife. "I think so." Diamond replied, carefully righting herself and standing. "Whoa.major blow to the head." She shook her head back and forth experimentally before smiling. "No harm done." "Except to our window!" The woman screamed, gesturing at the broken glass. "And my sanity!" "Err-sorry." Diamond said, blushing. "But, the thing is-I was fighting- then I jumped off the building-oh, never mind, it'd drive you nuts. I've got to go now, anyway." She began to walk towards the door, then stopped and turned back. "By the way? This is all just a very, very bad dream. The glass was broken by an owl crashing into your window, but the owl was all right. Good night!" "Just a bad dream?" The man repeated dazedly. "Just a dream." Diamond said reassuringly. "In fact, you're still asleep. So stay that way. Bye!" She promptly ran from the room and apartment, not wanting to have to explain things anymore. * * * "Did you just see Diamond falling by?" Obsidian asked uncertainly, walking out to where Garnet was standing. "It wasn't just me, right?" "Uh-huh." Garnet replied, eyes as big as saucers. "Uhhhhhh..." "I think she's in shock." Emerald said, walking out with Topaz and Amethyst. (All three girls were very careful to step on some part of Katrina's body on their way.) "Did Diamond just fall past us?" Topaz asked, waving her hand in front of a still-dreamily-sighing Sapphire. "Yes." Obsidian said simply, grinding her teeth. "Yes, she did." "So-she's probably dead?" Amethyst asked, kicking Katrina's head with a giggle. "Did you guys drink the punch or something?!" Obsidian demanded. "Why are you so stoned?!" "Only one glass each." Emerald hiccupped. "You idiots!" Obsidian yelled. "That stuff was practically pure vodka! Or wine, or something." Topaz grinned and giggled. "Something? Like cherries?" "Jeez.." Obsidian muttered, pushing hair out of her eyes. "Hey, look!" Amethyst said, giggling and pointing at her hair. "My hair's normal again!" "Sapphire's too!" Topaz said, yanking on a strand of said hair. "OW!" Sapphire yelled, coming out of her trance to slap Topaz's arm. "That hurt!" "Sorry." Topaz giggled. "They're drunk." Obsidian told Sapphire flatly, rubbing her head. "Obviously." Sapphire said, waving her hand in front of her face. "Whew! You guys are emitting fumes like a gas factory! You smell worse than Hannah!" That woke them up. "I do not!" Emerald yelled, hitting Sapphire's head. "We only had one glass!" Amethyst voiced, frowning. "I had two." Topaz said, still giggling. "Great." Obsidian said, rolling her eyes. "A drunk Senshi. Oh, that will scare the pee out of our enemies." There was a crash, followed by an "OW!" as Topaz tripped over Katrina and fell to the ground, the rest of her drunkenness knocked out of her. "All fear the mighty Jewel Senshi!" Garnet proclaimed, sighing. "Uhhhhh..hangover.." Topaz muttered, holding her head. "Major headache..wish Diamond were here, she could heal me.." "Unfortunately, your leader has just plummeted to her death on the grounds thirty stories below." Jedin's voice said smoothly. All the girls tensed. "Where are you?!" Obsidian demanded, looking around. "Right here." Obsidian whirled and her face connected squarely with Jedin's fist. "And now I wish Diamond was here." She muttered, rubbing her face as she leaped back a few steps. "She's-dead?" Garnet stuttered, moving back from the edge where the three dark men hovered. "But-she can't be-dead-you evil FREAKS!!!!!!" This last part was said as Garnet took a flying leap off the balcony and rammed into Damon, biting, kicking, and scratching furiously. Damon yelped in surprise, grabbed Garnet's neck, and threw her back onto the balcony, right into the middle of the group. Senshi went flying. Jedin giggled. "Bowling with Sailor Scouts! I like it." Amethyst struggled up to glare at Jedin. "You slimy evil BASTARDS!!!!!!" She screamed. "You killed Diamond!" "She killed herself." Damon said coldly. "Jumped off the roof to get away from us." "I jumped off, yes, but I don't believe I'm quite dead yet." Diamond said, striding out from Hannah's apartment. "A lovely flagpole broke my fall." Emerald gasped and pointed to Diamond's arm, which was puffing out in lovely colors of orange, blue, black, and purple. "Your arm! You're injured!" "This? Nah, this is just a scratch." Diamond said comfortably, patting Emerald's shoulder. "See, now," she began to walk over to where Jedin was hovering. "This-" She punched him hard in the stomach, "or this-" she slapped his face and punched his nose, "or this might have hurt-" she kicked him in the shin. "-but a little twenty-story fall? Nah. Nothing to it. I just yanked my arm out of my socket, I'm pissed off, mad, angry, furious, and every other word in the English language that describes being unhappy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And-" She glared at Jedin. "It's-" punch to the head-"all-"punch to the shoulder-"-your-" punch to the gut- "fault!!!!!!!!!!!" She knocked Jedin one in the crotch, grabbed his collar, and flung him over the edge of the building. "Not to mention," She added, striding over to Spike. "That I'm hurt-" Spike backed away. "I believe you! You're angry and injured! We're going away now!" "Damn right you are." Diamond growled, shoving her arm back into her shoulder with a "pop!" "Absolutely! Leaving! Not dreaming of staying!" Spike laughed weakly, struggling to gain altitude. "Spike, what the hell are you doing!?" Damon hissed. "We could finish them like you wanted to!" "Did you see what she did to Jedin!?" Spike whimpered. "Besides-" His face suddenly contorted. He gasped, "We're out of time!!" "Uh-oh." Diamond stared at Spike. His skin was moving in ripples..like Katrina's had, that day in the cafeteria..like Katrina's was now. "What's happening?" Garnet whispered, crawling up beside her. Diamond sunk to her knees. "I don't know." She answered truthfully. "But- I think it's going to be bad." "And big." Emerald added, crawling forth as well, edging away from Katrina. The other Senshi followed suit, staring at the red-haired body that was shivering, skin growing paler and paler. "I don't like this." Topaz said, sniffing the air. "The wind-it's changed, somehow. Colder. Warning of evil." "Why did you just sniff the air?" Diamond asked curiously. "And how can you tell? I hardly feel a thing, except the air feels creepy." "I have no idea why." Topaz snapped. "Maybe because air's my element or something! I don't know, I don't care, all I know is that something really evil is coming!!" "You've got that right, Topaz." Damon said coldly, flying down to land beside the scouts. "What are you doing here?" Amethyst hissed. "Staying away from their transformations." Damon replied, staring up at Spike. "Transformations?" Diamond asked, voice barely above a whisper. "To what?" "Their true forms." Spike raised his head and howled, a long, eerie howl that made the Senshi cover their ears in pain. "True forms?!" Diamond yelled over the noise as another howl pierced the air, coming from far below. "What true forms?!" "The Beast Within them." Damon responded, not looking at her. "I'd suggest you lot get out of here. They're going to kill whoever they next see." "B-but-my god-" "DO it!" Damon roared. "Leave!!!!!! I'm the only one who knows how to help them! Get out of here while you can! They can smell your blood! They hear your heart beat!!! GO!!!!" Diamond wasted no more time. She grabbed Garnet's hand and Emerald's hand and pulled them up, shoving them towards the apartment. "Come on!" She yelled. "Do it!" "Why are we trusting him!?" Topaz cried, shuffling towards the door. "Because I do, now move it!!!!!" Diamond screamed, shoving them all through the glass door and glancing back. Spike's muscles were bulging under his clothes, and his howl was going even higher pitched. Katrina was beginning to stir, her muscles rippling and growing. "GO!" Diamond screamed, shoving her friends out of the apartment. "Move it! Go, go, go!!!" "What happened to no retreating?" Obsidian grumbled, resisting a shove. "It vanished when Spike began mutating, now, bloody hell, MOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!" Diamond gave a tremendous shove as Katrina's howl rose as high as Spike's-and much closer and clearer. "Damn you, move!" "No need to curse." Garnet said in injured dignity. "She's right, move!!" Topaz gasped, yanking on Sapphire's and Emerald's arms. "Can't you hear the wind screaming?! Please, let's go!!" Diamond felt an enormous dark presence well up in her mind. She whirled to face the open door down the hall. "Topaz," she ordered tersely, "take them and run. All of you, move it." "What about you?!" Sapphire asked indignantly. "As your leader and as your friend I command you to GO!!!!!!!!" Diamond screamed, urgency etched on her face. The Senshi stared at her before turning to run down the hall. Topaz was last, urging Garnet along. "Come on, Shellie!" She murmured. "We've got to hurry!" "But-Diamond-" "Knows what she's doing!" Topaz said grimly, tugging on her friend's arm. "I hope." "So, while we run like chickens, she stays and acts all high and mighty?!" Amethyst asked indignantly. "I do not think so." She started back to where Diamond was tensely facing the open doorway. "Diamond-" "Oh my GOD!" Obsidian screamed, pointing at the doorway. Amethyst recoiled in horror, tripping over her own feet as she ran. "Move!" She yelled. "Move it! Move it!!" "What'd you see?!" Garnet panted, as they charged down the stairs. "Nothing you ever want to see, Shellie!" Amethyst said grimly. "Something I hope for God's sakes I'm only dreaming about." "What about Diamond!?" Obsidian asked frantically. "She can't face that- that-thing!" "Never mind Diamond, she told us to save our own skin, and that's what we're going to do!!" Amethyst yelled, grabbing Obsidian's arm as she hesitated. "We can't fight that thing! So let's move!" Meanwhile, Diamond was staring in controlled horror at the thing that was leering out of the doorway at her. Huge, blood red, and ultimately hideous, it stared at her from two pale blue oval eyes the size of tires. A large, wide open gaping maw snapped open and closed, revealing row upon row of teeth as sharp as knives and as large as computer screens. Skinny, spindly arms with two enormous claws on the end grasped the doorframe, and the thing walked on huge legs that had knees that bent backwards, like dogs. The legs ended in tyrannosaurus-rex type feet with bronze claws the size of hubcaps. It was over eight feel tall, and as wide as a car, made up mostly of huge head, and the blood-red skin seemed stretched over the bones. Diamond stared at the monster, wondering where the hell it had come from. Nothing like this existed out of nightmares. True forms. Oh my God. "Katrina?" She asked guardedly, stepping back a little, The thing raised its gigantic head and sniffed the air, eyes focusing on her. It howled and began to try to move towards her, ripping the door frame into shreds. "Oh, God." Diamond whispered, backing up a few steps. "What. Have. I. Gotten. Myself. Into." The thing-the beast that Katrina had become-thundered far quickly than anything of that size should have been able to towards her. Diamond froze, staring at the thing before turning to run down the hall as fast as she could. The beast followed, ripping away the ceiling of the hall as it went. Diamond ran as fast as she ever had towards the stairs. Almost there- Something burst through the ceiling to land five meters in front of her. It looked much like the creature behind her, except it was an inky blue- black, it's eyes were a maroon shade, and a crown of spiky horns came out from what seemed to be its forehead. Diamond gulped, leaping backwards. "Damon?" She wondered. "Or Spike?" The thing leered at her before moving forward, slowly but steadily. Diamond fell down as the floor shook. She scrambled away on her hands and bottom, until she ran into something. Something that breathed in her ear and snarled. Diamond rolled away just as Katrina's huge jaws came down and snatched up the piece of floor she had been sitting on. The monster chomped up the piece of floor, blinking blue eyes at her. "Oh, my God." Diamond whispered. She was trapped between two of the most horrible things she had ever seen, and all her brain could do was dart frantically around in all her memories. She vaguely wondered if her life was flashing before her eyes. The blue beast raised a gigantic foot over her head, blocking out the light from the above story. She stared up, horrified, mind sluggishly moving through the time she had smacked Bobbie Semipro upside the head for daring to ask her to dance on a dare from his stupid friends. Warm arms suddenly grabbed her shoulders and hauled her backwards just as the monstrous foot came down. Diamond collapsed in relief, breathing hard. "Dear lord." "Hang on." Damon instructed, holding the small golden haired girl tightly to him. Spike roared and moved forward to crush him as he leapt up through the broken ceiling to the story above. Diamond snuggled in slightly against him, sighing deeply. "One more second, and I'd've been nothing more than road kill." She said, fists clenched. "You're going to be lucky if you don't get that way before this is over." Damon said grimly, avoiding Katrina's flailing arm as she tried to snag them to bring them back down. "What are they?!" Diamond asked, staring down, horrified and fascinated. "Demons." Damon answered quietly, looking at Spike and Katrina in something like pity. "Pure, unchanged evil forms. It's-painful-changing to these forms. Their civilized being-their soul, you might say-gets killed. Completely. All that's in them now is animal instincts, and their love of Rubian." "So, they can't feel or love?" Diamond asked. "But-can they recognize you? Will they hurt you?" "No-o." Damon said slowly. "The darkness in me discourages them. But they don't know who I am. They don't even really know who they are, now." "And-they want-to kill us?" Diamond questioned timidly. Damon nodded grimly. "It's their sole purpose, aside from the desire to feed, both on flesh and on energy. It's our desire constantly." Diamond's head snapped up. She frowned at him. "Why aren't you changing?! Or are you going to at any moment and are holding me just so you can eat me?!" "This is my real form." Damon said impatiently, avoiding a swipe from Spike's claws. "Then how come they all look like that?!" Diamond demanded, waving her hand at Spike and Katrina. "Watch it!" Damon snapped, grabbing her hand and yanking it in as Spike's teeth snapped at where it had been a second earlier. "Eep." Diamond cheeped in terror, shutting up and massaging her almost- chopped-off hand. "They're like that because that's how Rubian made them to be." Damon explained, not looking away from Spike, who was eyeing Diamond now like she was a piece of meat. "She created them to be like this, and gave them the power to change to other forms, so as to blend in. The humanoid forms are the ones that they like the most. There's when they think normally, where they have a spirit, have emotions." "Rubian.created you all?" Diamond asked, feeling like she'd been socked in the gut. "All but one." Damon said quietly. Diamond wriggled in his arms until she could look up into his partially- hidden face. "Not you?" "Not me." Diamond took a deep breath, sensing she was stepping on delicate ground. "Would it be rude to ask where you came from?" "Yes." Damon answered sharply. "And it's none of your business." Diamond did not press again, but after a moment, Damon said, "I was born a human is all I know. I think I was abandoned as a child or something. At any rate, Rubian killed me, and then made me the way I am today." "Soul still intact?" Diamond murmured, hoping he wouldn't do something in anger-like drop her. "Somewhat." Diamond knew better than to say anything more. With a roar, Katrina leapt up to the second floor, feet digging into the walls. She glared at Damon and Diamond, the latter of which shivered hard and clutched at the former's cloak. Damon calmly leapt down to where the beast had been and sprinted lightning- fast down the hall. With a roar, the two creatures pursued him, crashing through plaster and wood as they ran. "When I drop you, you've got to get away from here as quick as possible, you understand?" Damon asked, flying down a flight of stairs. "No way!" Diamond said indignantly. "This is my fight too! And-those guy's are bad guys-and as a warrior, I have to fight-" "You fight, you die." Damon said harshly, zooming down a hall. "Well, then, let me stay and be bait or something!" Diamond begged. "Please! I could help in some way, I know!" "Bait?!" Damon snorted, wishing he hadn't been thinking the exact same thing. "Are you nuts? Those two will be on you and decimate you before you could run a hall." "Not if you get them first!" Diamond retorted. Damon ran down another flight and hallway and listened to the crashes coming from the stairway they had first gone down. "Well.." "Please." Diamond said, forcing him to look her in the eyes. "I'm begging you." Damon sighed, and gently placed her on her feet. "It'll take me a few moments to get ready." He told her, hovering in the air a few feet above her head. "Best begin running." Diamond nodded and took off, jumping down the full flight of stairs, turning the corner-gone. Damon sighed and looked down at the end of the hall where the two monstrosities had appeared. "Hope I do this right the first time." He muttered, clapping his hands together to start the binding ritual. Diamond raced down the hall, hearing the roars of the two creatures hot on her trail. She sprinted as fast as she could without draining herself completely, willing for this to be a good day for her stamina. Halfway down the hall she stopped short. She felt like she was forgetting something..and something was surging in her mind, coming from close by. She choked back a scream as a green monster's face peeked out of the end of the hall. Guess that answered what had happened to Jedin. "Damn it." She swore, turning to see Spike and Katrina emerging at the other end. "Will someone help me." The creatures began to quickly move towards her. She whirled to stare at Spike, who was coming the fastest. "Golden Halo Attack!!" The beast roared as the golden halo savagely ripped through its skin on all sides, a whirl of light. It reached up and caught the halo in its jaws, crushing it into lifeless nothing. "Hey!" Diamond yelled. "My halo.my attack.!" A knock from behind sent her sprawling. She stared up as Jedin's ugly face loomed over her- "DEATH CRESCENTS DESTROY!!!" "BRIGHT WHIRLWIND GUST!!!" "BEAUTY ROSES BLAST!!!!" The creatures screamed and retreated as six girls jumped in around their stricken leader. "You okay, Diamond?" Obsidian called, glaring at Katrina. "I thought I told you guys to leave!" Diamond gasped in amazement. "We're disobedient children." Sapphire said with a grin. "Oh, come on, you know we'd never leave you alone! We're a team! Jewel Senshi! All for one, one for the money, so on and so forth." "You guys are evil." Diamond muttered, standing and looking back and forth between the monsters. "But I'm glad you came." "So, how do we kill them?" Topaz asked brightly. "I mean, our attacks had NO effect whatsoever." "Damon's doing something." Diamond told her, trying to peer over Spike's and Katrina's enormous shoulders. "And we're trusting him. Again." Garnet sighed. "This is not normal. Normal people do not have to put their lives in the hands of their enemies." "Enemies who recently danced very-interestingly-with our leader." Obsidian said with a snigger. "Shut up." Diamond ordered good naturedly. "Or I might have to kill you and feed your bloody corpse to these monsters." Garnet shuddered and backed away as Katrina took a large step towards them. "B-bad monster." She said, teeth chattering. "B-bad! Don't b-be n- naughty!" Katrina lunged forward, mouth snapping at Garnet's retreating hand. "YIPE!" Garnet promptly hid behind Diamond and buried her face in the back of her skirt. "Whoa!" Diamond yelled, yanking her skirt away. "Garnet, you baka! Sicko!" "S-sorry." Garnet gulped, covering her face with her hands. "But these things are creepy!" "No reason to reveal my underwear to the whole world." Diamond snapped, smoothing her skirt down carefully. "Oh, but wouldn't Damon love to see it?" Amethyst asked innocently. Diamond promptly hit her over her head. Amethyst yelped and hit the floor. "That hurt!" "You deserved it!" Diamond raged, shaking her fist at Amethyst, not noticing Katrina inching closer. "Idiot!" "Ditz!" "Pervert!" "Witch!" "Right!" Diamond yelled, suddenly whirling to face Katrina. "Golden Halo Attack!" "Death Crescents Destroy!" Katrina let out a shriek that raised the hair on everyone's heads and clambered back a few pages, tongue lolling out of her maw to lick at the blood coming from the top of her head. Spike's blood red eyes fastened on the blood. With a roar, he charged Katrina, tongue trying to reach the blood squirting from her body. Katrina fended him off with a screech, clawing at his arm and drawing bluish black blood. Spike's attention turned to his own wound, and began to lick the blood there. "Gross." Topaz commented, watching interestedly. "They even like their own blood?!" Diamond said in disgust. "Double gross and yuck-o-rama!" "An insane instinct of some sort?" Obsidian muttered, dry-mouthed. The beasts stopped licked at their wounds to screech and leap forward upon the scouts. Obsidian screamed as Spike's gigantic foot clamped her to the ground, unable to move or even breath much. "Obsidian!" Diamond cried, running over to Spike's leg and pulling on it fruitlessly. "Let her go!" She demanded, kicking Spike's huge leg. "Let her go!!" She gave it an extra hard kick. Spike roared and quickly swiped at her with huge front claws. Diamond leapt back, clutching at her stomach. A deep gash was visible under her torn tunic. Blood bubbled up and spilled onto her hands. "Great." Diamond moaned, trying to ignore the pain as she shoved her hand into the gash to stop the bleeding-and also trying not to think of what organs she might be touching. Spike and Katrina sniffed at the air, smelling her blood. Spike's paw lifted off of Obsidian's body to take a large step towards the bleeding girl. "Gaaaah.." Obsidian muttered, drawing in a full lung of air and rolling away as Katrina's paw came down. Diamond skirted backwards from the oncoming beasts, trying to keep away. She slipped in her own blood that had formed a puddle on the floor and fell, continuing to inch backward from the blood-hungry mad eyes. "Damon!" She yelled. "Whatever you're doing, better get it done fast!!!" Damon heard the roars of Katrina, Spike, and Jedin. Feverishly he worked, trying to complete the spell. "Blood is life." He muttered, taking his small sword and pricking his finger. Black blood spilled out as he raised his hand into the air. "Blood binds soul to soul, heart to heart, spirit to spirit. Let those below me who walk as they should not, be bound to me and to my command!" The air screamed as black and purple lightning zigzagged around him in a circle. A rune made of blue fire etched itself under Damon's feet. A crown of white flame played on his brow. "Katrina." He murmured fiercely. "Spike. Jedin. Let your souls be bound to me until-I-will-them-" He stopped, gasping for breath, sweating as the power around him increased. This was too much. Three at once. Diamond's plea for help suddenly rang loudly in his ears. He gritted his teeth. "-until-I-will them-gone. Let-their-souls-be-under-my-control. By- devil's-pact-and-darkness'-blood-let my will be!" Diamond stared at Spike's enormous jaws that loomed just above her. He lowered himself, maw opening, teeth aiming for her head- And very suddenly, the beast froze stock still. Its eyes rolled about in what seemed to be surprise. Beside him, the monster that was Katrina was stopped too, foot half-raised in the air. Jedin had been reaching for Garnet. Now he froze, arm reaching for her but not ever there. "Jeez." Garnet muttered, raising her head from under her arms. "Did someone hit the pause button?" "More like the stop." Emerald said, gingerly touching Spike's mutant skin and shuddering. "I'm guessing this is what Damon was trying to do." Diamond said, reaching a hand out to carefully touch one of Spike's teeth. "Either that, or we've just flown into the Twilight Zone." "There's-something on the wing!" Obsidian gasped, contorting her face and grasping her neck. "Some-thing." "Enough with the Shatner impression." Diamond said, muffling a giggle. "I wonder what happen now." She drew her hand away from Spike's mouth, staring at her hand as a drop of blood welled where she had touched his tooth. "Diamond-your wound?" Topaz asked. Diamond winced as she looked down and saw the bloody gash. The pain came back in a tidal wave, as if seeing the injury made it worst. She slowly lowered herself onto the ground, breathing heavily. "Heal yourself!" Amethyst ordered, holding her friend's shoulders. "Come on, Diamond, all you need to do is heal yourself and you'll be okay." Diamond nodded as the colors of Amethyst's face swirled together like watercolors. "Yeah, okay. Yeah, okay." She breathed deep, a light-headed feeling coming into her head. "Everlasting.Love.Purify." Golden light played behind her eyelids as the pain began to recede. The lightheaded feeling began to steal away into the recesses of her mind. Diamond blinked once or twice, then carefully removed her hand from her wound as the light penetrated it. There was the moment where her body screamed in pain as the light moved within her, and then all the pain was gone. "Whew." She muttered, standing up and stretching. "That was not pleasant. I don't even want to think about what I was touching." "Guts." Garnet said promptly. "Must you remind me?!" Diamond demanded. "My insides should not have seen light! This is not right! I have the right to remain disturbed for a while." "Right granted." Sapphire said, staring intently at Spike's maroon eyes that moved when she moved, watching her. "Everyone else finds this excessively creepy, correct?" Emerald wondered, waving her hand energetically in front of Katrina's face and watching robin egg's blue eyes follow it. "So." Amethyst said, cracking her knuckles. "Do we kill 'em?" "What?! No!" Garnet said, shocked. "They're just-helpless. We can't do that, right?" "Exactly! Helpless!! Kill now!" Obsidian said brightly, giving Jedin a kick. "Let their bloody gore paint this hall a lovely mix of red and blue!" "You're disturbed." Topaz told her. "What separates us from them?! The fact that we don't kill inhumanely. They're not attacking us now!" "Excepting the fact that they were about two inches from killing us earlier!" Sapphire growled, glaring at Topaz and Garnet. "We can't just let them go! What if we let them go, and they go drain someone and that person dies?! We could have prevented it! We could save an entire planet if we kill them now!" "But now we're not defending, we're being aggressive." Emerald said quietly. "I thought we're supposed to defend, not attack. So far, when they start to threaten, we're always there to beat them back. Are we going to switch roles? Will we become like them?" "This is nuts." Amethyst snorted, looking at Diamond. "Diamond, tell them we have to kill this trash." "No, no!" Garnet cried. "Tell them that we have to be merciful! We're the good guys! We'll prevail anyway! We have to show mercy!" Diamond hesitated, torn between Amethyst's violent purple eyes that were shooting sparks, and Garnet's crimson ones that were overflowing with tears. She sighed, breathed deep, and let her eyes travel back up to the stairs leading to the above floor. Damon stumbled down, breathing heavily, exhausted but relieved. The beasts had been stopped. The scouts.lived, yes..Diamond...all right...he clung to the railing, fists clenched, fingers driving into the wood. Diamond's heart tore in her chest. She looked at the still monsters, and said quietly, "We're not going to hurt them." "What?!" Amethyst bellowed. "Why NOT?!" "We're not gods, Amethyst." Diamond said softly, staring into Spike's red eyes. "We don't have the right to pass judgment on their souls, no matter how much we want to. If we were in battle, I'd say yes on the spot, but here." She sighed. "It would just be murder. No matter what kind of creatures these are." "That it so butch." Amethyst snapped. "We're demon killers-" "No." Diamond said calmly. "We're Sailor Senshi. End of discussion." Amethyst sighed and drooped her head. "All right, fine, whatever-" "-Mom." Diamond growled and swiped at Amethyst, who dodged good-naturedly and grabbed her in a headlock. "Come on, fearless leader. Let's go, before I turn into a renegade and stomp all over these creeps, including your boyfriend." "He's not my boyfriend." Diamond growled defensively. "Uh-huh." Garnet said with a smirk. "Sure he's not." "Shut up!" Diamond yelled as the girls giggled and began to walk down the stairs. "Come on, you guys, he's not my boyfriend! He's evil! Enemy! You guys? GUYS!" Damon smiled to himself, watching the scouts go. Before she rounded the corner, Diamond turned around to flash her bright smile at him before she turned and disappeared. Damon sighed and glared at the monsters. "You all are going to get me into so much trouble." He muttered before teleporting back to the base, dragging the beasts with him. 


	12. Xavier Comes Diamond reverting to true ...

Chapter Eight  
  
Spike winced as Ivy bathed a cut on his forehead. "Hey, come off it, pidge, I'm all right now." "Silly pumpkin." Ivy clucked, leaning over to kiss Spike's head. "Poor silly pigeon. All only with his wings clipped." "My wings will grow back, baby." Spike told her, grabbing her hand. "It's all right, now." He glanced over at Damon, who was resting quietly on a black bench. "And I owe you one, Damon. If you hadn't pulled us back-" He laughed dryly. "There wouldn't've been much of anyone left to drain." Damon gave him a half-hearted smile. "Don't mention it. Are you all right?" Spike nodded and stretched. "Yeah, but man! I forgot how much punch that transformation packs! I feel like I've been run over with-what do humans call them-a steamroller or something." Jedin winced and sat up form his cold marble bed. "I know what you mean. Ugh. And it didn't help that that evil bitch Diamond beat me up while I was going through the preliminary changes. Stupid Scout!" Damon looked over at where Katrina was snoring away on her own bed. "Hey, Katrina! Wake up!" Katrina snorted, spluttered, and fell onto the cold floor. "Ow!" She gazed blearily up and Damon and yawned. "Oh, my head." "Oooh, she's going to have a major hangover." Jedin said with a smirk. Katrina wailed as she put a hand to her head. "My head hurts!!! Ohhh- Jedin! Did you hit me with a mace while I was asleep again?!" "Not me." Jedin said innocently. "Blame the twenty glass of wine you drank last night." Katrina blinked at him. "Wine? What's wine? What'd we do last night?" Spike sighed as Ivy rubbed his temples. "She doesn't remember a thing?! Jeez." "Remember what?" Katrina asked, scratching her head. "Never mind." Spike said, sighing. "Just-never mind." "Oh, poor pigeon." Ivy cooed, massaging his back carefully. Spike sighed and leaned forward. "Enjoying your vacation?" Ithengil asked dryly, coming into the dark room. Spike sat up, hand going back to grab Ivy's hands. "Come to disturb our rest, Ithengil?" He inquired, calm tone slipping into anger. "You've had enough of a rest." Ithengil snapped. "It's time to get back to work. Where you collect energy. For our Lady." "Who's our lady?" Katrina asked brightly. "Katrina's-been a little scatterbrained since her transformation last night." Damon said, sweat dropping as he looked at Katrina, who was happily twiddling her thumbs. "Or perhaps from the alcohol she consumed?" Ithengil suggested darkly. "Heh-heh." Damon laughed pathetically at Ithengil's all-knowing look. "See?" Ithengil said, sighing deeply and pretending to be very disturbed. "This is what keeps us from reaching our goal. This slovenly, moronic behavior-it's disgraceful and sickening to be seen in a general of Rubian!" "Cut to the chase." Jedin muttered, rubbing his blood-shot eyes. "The point being," Ithengil said, with a terrible glare at Jedin, "I have taken the liberties of bringing out our last general in an effort to finally take over this planet." All the generals straightened, tense and silent. "You're not." Damon whispered. "Not-Xavier?" A shudder ran through all present. "I am." Ithengil said firmly. "He's the one I believe that can finally get a hold on this planet-more importantly, on its scouts." Jedin licked his lips. "Master," He said, voice dry. "Do you remember what happened the last time we let Xavier loose on a planet?" "I do indeed." Ithengil replied, eyeing Jedin coldly. "You remember the mass carnage that happened, when the scouts frustrated him by resisting?" Jedin demanded. "That he destroyed the entire planet?!?!?!" "He got the job done." Ithengil said quietly. "Which is why we're sending him in here now." * * * "Whee!" Angie cried, throwing her arms in the air and whirling around. "Yes, yes, yes! Freedom!" "Calm down, Angie!" Marisa said, laughing. The girls were all walking to training by way of the park. "It's only an early-release day." "Only an early release?" Angie asked, disbelievingly. "Only an early release?! My dear Marisa, early releases are one of the greatest things of all time!!! Especially with a day off tomorrow too! And then the weekend! Whee!!!" "And then back to school on Monday." Elisha pointed out pessimistically. "Ahh! Stop! Do not say such a thing!" Angie cried dramatically, clamping her hand over Elisha's mouth. "You are not going to say that word until at least Sunday evening!" "What?" Elisha asked innocently, removing Angie's hand from her mouth. "School?" "AHH! Stop! Do not profane the holy weekend!" Angie yelled, covering her ears and moaning. "Speak not the speech of the one who hath not known the joys of long weekends! The privilege of no homework! The delight of- oomph!" In her energetic ramblings she had backed into someone. She immediately found herself kissing the sidewalk. "Sorry! Sorry!" She cried, getting up and dusting herself off. "Didn't see-" "Hey, little bird." Angie froze. Slowly, she turned around and her eyes traveled up to gray- blue eyes and dark hair. "Alan!" She cried joyously, flinging her arms around him and promptly hugging him. "It's you!" Damon blushed as the golden girl embraced him like they were old friends. "Nice to see you, too." He muttered into her hair. Angie backed up with a blush. "Oh, sorry. Didn't mean to do that, I'm just so." She sighed blissfully. "Happy." "She's completely psycho, in other words." Lacie said, holding her hand out for Alan to shake. "I'm Lacie Lipscombe." Damon hesitatingly took the offered hand. "I'm Alan Richards." "He's the guy who saved my life!" Angie piped up, dancing about, unable to keep still as one by one her friends introduced themselves. Rachelle watched Angie bouncing up and down in amusement. "Would you please stop actually like a rubber ball?" "Can't!" Angie replied, doing a cartwheel. "I'm on Cloud Nine, and there's no way I'm coming down for a long while!" Damon watched the sunlit girl caper about and felt himself beginning to smile, the problems of dealing with Xavier out of his mind a little. He shuddered as he remembered those flat, emotionless gray eyes staring at him, those terrible, blood-stained teeth.Poor Diamond, having to face him. "Hey! Hello!" Angie cried, waving her hand in front of Damon's frown. "No scowls! This is a happy day! No school for three days! There shalt not be any unhappy faces!" Damon let himself smile down at her. "Sorry, I was-thinking about something." Angie nodded vigorously. "I understand." "How? You haven't ever experienced thinking yourself." Mary said with a grin. Angie growled and hit her friend on the arm. Damon watched in some perplexity as the girls began to pull each other's hair and quarrel. "Are they-all right?" He asked Rachelle uncertainly. "Who? Them?" Rachelle laughed. "Those fights between Angie and Mary are just a ruse. They're fun to watch, though. Heck, I think even those two enjoy them." Angie dealt Mary a resounding blow on her head and stuck out her tongue. Mary winced from the ground. "All right, all right! I forfeit! You win!" "Hah!" Angie crowed, turning away. As she did, Mary reached out and grabbed her ankle. Angie landed on the ground in a cloud of dust. "Ow!" She cried, eyes filling with tears. "That was so mean!" She began to wail. "Oh, shut up." Mary muttered. Angie immediately stopped crying to kick dust at her face and stand up. Mary stood up as well, and the two glared at each other. "Would you two stop it?" Malorie asked, grabbing them both by the hair and pulling them along with the group. "OWOWOWOWOW!!!!" Mary and Angie yelled in synchronism. "Okay, Mal, let us go!" Mary yelped. "We'll be good! Promise!" Angie pleaded. "Fine." Malorie said, giving them a last yank before letting go. Mary and Angie rubbed their scalps for a moment, looked at each other, then at Malorie, then at each other again. "BUNZAI!!!" Angie yelled, pouncing on Malorie and dragging her to the ground. The group stopped to look back at the scene unfolding. "Get her shoe off!" Angie yelled, holding Malorie's wriggling arms above her head. Mary unlaced her shoe, pulled of her sock, and held her fingers just above Mal's foot. "Don't you dare!" Malorie gasped. "You evil little-" Mary lowered her fingers, and began to energetically tickle her foot. Malorie screamed in laughter, wriggling like an eel, trying to get away. The group fell over laughing. Damon chuckled slightly, watching Angie's laughing face as she watched Malorie try to scramble away. Malorie finally kicked Mary's hand away, yanked her wrists from Angie's grasp, and stood, primly brushing off her shorts. "Evil." She stated, turning her back on Mary's and Angie's hysterically laughing faces. "That was sheer brilliance." Angie gasped, chortling and giving Mary a high five. "Pure, simple, magnificent genius." Mary agreed, pulling herself up and giving Angie a hand. They leaned against each other, giggling and wiping away tears. "Evilness." Malorie muttered, nose in the air, trying hard to cover the grin in her face. "Next time, we go for the stomach." Mary announced loudly, straightening and giggling. Malorie covered her stomach protectively and smiled. "Hey, you guys want to come to my house for blackberry picking?!" Angie asked enthusiastically. "They're just coming out now, and they're the sweetest you'll ever taste!" "Blackberries?" Damon found himself asking before he could stop himself. "What're they?" Seven pairs of eyes turned to look at him, wide-open in astonishment. "You've never tasted blackberries?!" Mary gasped incredulously. "Never?!" Marisa wondered, eyeing him. "Are you human?!" "I-grew up far away." Damon said uncomfortably. Angie saw Alan's discomfort. "Oh, lay off, you guys." She said. "If you haven't had them before," she said, turning to Alan, "then you absolutely have to now. We have the best in all of the city." "Um-okay." Damon replied, wishing he had boned up on human foods. Angie grinned and ran off skipping. "Come on, then!" She sang over her shoulder. "Only a few blocks! Hurry!" The group sweat-dropped. "How does she get so much energy?" Marisa wondered. Mary shrugged and skipped off after her, singing, "We're going home for noodles! Yum, yum!" "And what insanity did she pull that insane song from?" Elisha asked, watching Mary. "This is Mary." Rachelle said, sighing. "She could have pulled it from anywhere." * * * A few minutes later, the girls were standing and goggling up at an enormous house. "This is your home?!" Rachelle gasped. "I always thought it was a hotel!! You know, giant grounds, big house, fountains." "Only one fountain, actually." Angie said, blushing. "Is there something wrong with having a big house?" Damon wondered. "In this city? When you're the official 9th grade ditz?" Elisha said sarcastically. "And never bothered to mention to your friends that you were rich? Nah, no problem." Angie shrugged and punched in the security code on the side of the huge, wrought iron gates. "I wanted you to know me for who I was, not where I lived." "Oh.oh my god!" Marisa said before falling into hysterical laughter. The others stared at her. "What's gotten into you?!" Lacie asked. "Have you gone mad?" Marisa giggled, "You know how Hannah thought she was so posh living in that apartment?! This place makes her home look like a tenement house! Can you imagine her reaction if she found out?!" She began laughing again. Angie grinned as the huge doors swung open, helped by a silent, stiff gateman. "I always remember that when I get mad at her." "Oh, man, if she ever found out, she would have puppies." Mary said happily, skipping inside. "Puppies?" Elisha asked. "I think she means kittens." Angie remarked, gesturing them forward. "Well, come on! This place doesn't bite!" "How many banks did you have to knock off to get this place, Angie?" Malorie asked, staring at the beautiful fountain made of crystal and glass in the shape of a dolphin with the water coming from its blowhole. "Well, my dad's a lawyer for a big company." Angie said, leading her way up to the front porch. "He got a big partnership a few years ago-and, well, a raise." "A big raise." Marisa said in awe, watching two gardens prune rosebushes near the fence. "Enough of one." Angie said, ringing the doorbell of the two enormous doors that had stained glass windows in ornate shapes. "You have to ring the doorbell in your own home?" Rachelle asked doubtfully. "And punch in a security code!" Angie said brightly, doing just that on a pad near the door. "Um-why?" Marisa asked, sweat-dropping. Angie frowned and shook her head. "I really have no idea. My mom does run a big gardening association.oh, wait! Maybe because my dad sometimes works with the President! Oh, yeah, that's right! That's what it is!" Everyone face-vaulted. "You are a really serious blond, Angie." Elisha said, voice muffled by the doormat. Damon was the only one who remained standing. He looked doubtfully at Angie. "What's a president?" The group had begun to get up. They all promptly fell over again. "You don't know who the President is?!" Rachelle gasped. "Where exactly did you live?! Madagascar?!" "Uh-" Damon frantically ran through his knowledge of places on Earth and said the first one that came to mind. "Monaco!" The girls all stared at him. "Where's that?" Lacie wondered. "In Europe." Damon said, praying he was right. "Near France." "Oh." Lacie considered this, then said, "Well, I don't have the slightest clue about it, but it must be pretty isolated if they don't know who runs America." "Uh, yes." Damon said, sweating. "Very isolated." Damon was saved from further questioning by the door opening and a small, thin face peeking out. "Miss Angela!" A shrill voice cried as the door opened all the way. "But you're home early!" "Emily, I told you this was an early release day three times this morning!" Angie said with a sigh. "And don't call me Miss Angela! Angie is perfectly fine!" "Yes, Miss Angela." The maid said automatically, opening the door wide and glaring suspiciously at the group gathered outside. "Who are they?" "They're my friends, Emily." Angie said patiently, moving past her. "You know? That thing that all kids have to talk to?" Emily blinked at the girls and man. "A pleasure, Misses and Master." She said, curtsying. "Forgive my rudeness?" "O-of course." Malorie said awkwardly. "Um-do you mind getting up? It's very disturbing." "As you wish." Emily replied, standing meekly before them, head bowed. Angie sighed and rubbed her head. "Emily, you are dismissed until further orders. Go take the day off." "But, miss, this would be the eighteenth day in a row-" "Just do it." Angie said, shoving her toward another door. "Bye! Have a nice day!" The door slammed and Angie turned around, sighing. "Phew. I almost can't stand having maids, they're so fluttery.guys?" The girls were all staring, open-mouthed, around the entrance hall. "Is this your front foyer, or an airplane station?" Elisha demanded, staring at the crystal chandelier a full thirty feet off the ground. "Entrance hall." Angie said briskly. "And please stop gawking, you're making me feel an idiot." "Excuse me?!" Marisa asked in a shrill tone. "We're in your hallway which could probably contain a few trains in a house the size of Delaware and you're telling us to stop gawking?!" Angie rolled her eyes. "Come on. Let's go get some baskets. And snacks. I need food. My sugar level is low." "Snacks?" Malorie's ears perked up and she tore her gaze away from the painting of an iris. "I like food! Whatcha got?" Angie grinned and she opened a side door. "What haven't I got?" The girls stared around the kitchen. From wall to wall, there were huge cabinets. Marisa ran to open one to reveal a thousand different boxes of crackers and chips. "All right!" She cheered, digging out a package. "Goldfish!" "Help yourself." Angie said, rolling her eyes as the girls ransacked her kitchen. "But please don't open that!" She yelped, trying to discourage Mary away from a corner cabinet. "Why? Are your dad's dead wives in there?" Mary asked, ducking around Angie and grabbing the handles. "No, wait!" Angie gasped. Too late. Mary screamed triumphantly. "I've hit the mother load!!!! CANDY!!!!!!!" As proof she raised a large bag of M&M's into the air and waved it around excitedly. "Oh, God." Angie groaned, waiting for the stampede. "CANDY!!!!!" Every girl screamed, jumping for the cabinet. Lollipops, chocolate, marshmallows, jujubes, sweettarts, and mints littered the floor. "Stop it!" Angie cried over the sound of frantic digging. "Hold it! Stop! Hey! STOP IT!!!!!!!" The girls all stopped to stare at her. "One-item-each." Angie said very slowly, as if speaking to preschoolers. The girls immediately began to whine. "Aww, Angie-" "One each?" "Not two? Or five?" "Or ten?" "Pleeeease?" "One each." Angie said firmly. She glanced back at Damon, who was watching this with amusement. "You can have some too!" She told him. "Don't let these hyenas take it all." "I wesent wat." Malorie said through a mouthful of chocolate. Damon edged forward, gazing over the large amount of food before him. "What is it?" He asked, curiously. Everyone froze. "You've.never.seen..candy." Mary stated in shock. Damon shook his head. There was a long pause. Then everyone cracked up. "Oh, my gosh!" Marisa said, wiping her eyes. "You are a freak!" "What'd I say?" Damon asked, bewildered. "Nothing, nothing." Angie said, smiling and patting his arm. "But you are about to be introduced to the greatest stuff ever made, including pizza and hamburgers." She unwrapped part of a Snickers and offered it to him. "Go on! Eat it!" Damon hesitated, then gingerly grabbed the candy bar. He stared at the brown end peeking out of the wrapper. "I'm supposed to eat this?" He asked, repulsed. "It tastes a ton better than it looks!" Mary sang, a sour gummy worm half- way in her mouth and a box of them in her hands. "Go on." Angie said with a smile. "Please?" Damon hesitated, closed his eyes, and bit down on the brown substance. Something exploded in his mouth. He chewed frantically and swallowed, eyes bright with discovery. "What was that?!" He asked, in a trance. Angie giggled. "Chocolate, silly. Best stuff ever to cross someone's lips." She unwrapped another bar and took a bite for herself, grinning. Damon, meanwhile, ripped the wrapping off his and devoured the rest in two quick bites. "Is there more?!" He asked eagerly. Angie blinked. "Well, sure. Tons more." She gestured at the mounds of candy all around them. Damon snatched another almost-identical looking bar up, tore open the wrapper, and bit down. The taste of the chocolate melted in his mouth. "Chocolate!" He cried. "Okay.." Angie said slowly, taking the bar away from him. "I think the discovery of chocolate is a little too much for you, Alan." Damon blinked at her. He knew very well he could take it back, but the look in Angie's eyes was firm. He sighed and lowered his head. "All right!" Angie yelled. "Everyone, man your baskets!" The girls stopped munching to stand up straight and very military-like. They grabbed several white buckets and held them at their sides. Damon blinked at them. "Well, soldier?!" Angie bellowed. "What are you waiting for?! Suit up!" Damon grabbed a basket and stood at attention. Angie grabbed her own basket and began strutting up and down in front of her friends who were all standing in neat formation. "All righty, troops!" She yelled, using her best drill sergeant voice. "We are going on a dangerous mission! Maybe a few will not come back! Your objective is to pick as many blackberries as humanely possible, and eat them! Any questions?!" Everyone was silent. "All right!" She yelled. "On your mark, get set-GO!!! Run, you sissies, run!" Everyone remained very still. "Um, Angie?" Mary asked. "Where's your backyard?" Angie sighed. "All right, you sissies. Follow me! March! Hup two! Hup two!" She lead the way out of the kitchen, through an expensively furnished dining room, across a smaller, less intimidating hall, out a door, across a screened-in porch, out a screen door, and out onto the lawn. Mary yelled as she saw what was directly behind the house. "Oh my GOD! You have a POOL!? I hate you!" "Silence, private!!" Angie yelled. Mary shut up. "Is she okay?" Damon whispered to Malorie. "Oh, yeah." Malorie answered, almost gaily. "She's an actress, you know. Loves playing all sorts of parts. You just gotta play along. And besides, it's fun!" "No conversing in the ranks!" Angie bellowed, puffing out her chest and strutting around. Damon watched her all puffed up like an angry bird and grinned as an idea came to his mind. "So, Malorie." He said loudly. "How come our commander's strutting around like a chicken?!" "Insubordination!" Angie gasped, eyes twinkling as the girls giggled. Damon felt his heart leap at the look in her eye. "Wonder if she pecks like one, too." He mused aloud. "Silence, you!" Angie yelled, barely concealing giggles. "Make me." Damon teased, half wondering why he was acting this way. Angie grinned and promptly smacked his arm. "Tag!" She yelled, exuberance for life and joy at living boiling over at last. "You're it!" She took off across the lawn like a streak of wind. Damon gazed blankly after her. "Ah! They don't have Tag in Monaco!" Rachelle yelled. "Alan! Go after her! Tag her! If you tag her, you don't have to chase her anymore, you have to run away!" "What's its purpose?" Damon said, looking down at the tiny person. Rachelle blinked. "Purpose? It's just fun!" And with that the girls ran away shrieking, darting away all over the yard. Damon watched the girls darting across the lawn, giggling and waving to him. "Chase us!" "Tag us!" "It's fun!" "Fun?" Damon rolled the word around in his mouth as his eyes narrowed on the farthest away bird. "Fun." Angie stopped a few acres away and stood on the lawn, panting, eyes bright and joyful and mirroring the blue sky above. She raised her arms and whirled around, perfect serenity coming over her features. "Angie, watch out!" Surprised, Angie looked back to see something chasing her. She let out a happy shriek and went flying away, confident no one could catch her. She was one of the fastest people in the school! No one could catch her! Except. She glanced back in surprise to see the person still following her. More importantly, it was Alan. More importantly, he was catching up, but quickly. Angie screeched and ran all the faster, sprinting as fast as she could past lawn ornaments and bushes. He's so fast! She marveled. I bet he might even catch- Arms suddenly caught underneath her body and raised her, screaming, into the air. Angie laughed and laughed as fingers suddenly came down and started tickling her stomach. She wriggled and screamed. "Enough! Enough! I give! I'm it! You got me! N-no tickling, please!!" Damon laughed, looking down at the girl giggling in his arms. She sighed and lay back, resting her head on his shoulder as he stopped, still chuckling a little to herself. She suddenly looked up at him, eyes bright under thick gold bangs. "You'd better run away, now, baka! I'm it!" Damon laughed, deposited her on her feet, and jogged across the garden, looking back at the brightly shining girl. Angie took a deep breath of clean, fresh air into her lungs before sprinting off to chase Mary. The world suddenly spun beneath her feet. Deep in her mind some instinct screamed. A warning was the last clear thing in her mind before she seemingly fainted dead away. Damon saw her collapse. Panic rose in his chest. He ran as fast as he ever had in his life, flying over the grass, picking her up gently. Cries of, "Angie!" came from every corner of the yard. Almost as quick as he had her friends were there, not panting or so much as sweating. They bent by their friend. "Is she all right?" Rachelle asked, pressing her hand to Angie's forehead. Angie was not all right. When Rachelle touched her she flinched, even in her unconsciousness, and began whimpering, tearing back and forth in Damon's arms. "Put her down!" Mary ordered to Damon, who silently complied. Rachelle bent and placed her ear near Angie's mouth, listening to the whimpers. "No..darkness..blood, blood everywhere! Rubian...coming.death..pain.." Her body stiffened and she let out a shriek that filled every corner of the yard before slumping. Mary looked up at him, eyes going cold. "Alan, I think you should leave. Our friend's not in any condition to run or entertain now." Damon hesitated. "Will she be all right?" Malorie smiled at him. "I'm sure she will. She gets this way once in a while." She crossed her fingers behind her back. Damon hesitated, then began to walk away across the grass. "Tell her I'll be back to check on her tomorrow." He said, trying not to look at the fallen girl. "We will." Mary said, voice like ice. Damon bit his lip as he turned away, feeling Xavier's darkness pulsing over the city. "It's time." He muttered to himself, regretfully staring back at the girls. They were so bright.and now, their lights would be snuffed out. Forever. No one messed with Xavier and lived. Angie's eyes opened and she looked up. "Is he gone?" Rachelle nodded. Angie sighed. "God, I hated to do that. Force him out like this." "Any reason why?" Malorie asked. "Are you feeling what I'm feeling?" Mary asked, voice warming slightly. "A darkness." Angie muttered. "It's there, in my heart..it hurts.." She shuddered and stood up. "We have to transform. Now. If we don't-" She looked up at the sun in the sky. "We won't have to worry about going to school in three days." Grimly, the scouts nodded and stood. "Hey," Marisa said, a small smile crossing her lips. "Let's go into this one thinking about Alan, hm? I really like him. He's-nice." "I know what you mean." Elisha said with a nod. "He's friendly. But I just get this sad feeling from him." "We'll fight for everyone who depends on us." Angie said, lowering her eyelids. "Diamond Star Power!" "Sapphire Star Power!" "Emerald Star Power!" "Obsidian Star Power!" "Topaz Star Power!" "Amethyst Star Power!" "Here we go again!" Rachelle sighed, grabbing her bracelet. "Garnet Star Power!" "MAKE-UP!" "Next time for a weekend activity, let's try not going into certain death, okay?" Garnet asked as they bounded away over the grounds, startling the heck out of a few guards. "Is that even possible?" Emerald muttered, leaping over the barbed-wire gate. "Not for us." Sapphire grumbled as they leapt over the street and up onto a large building. "Enough idle talk." Diamond ordered quietly. "We've got to be deadly serious about this one, Scouts. Something truly evil is happening." "As opposed to only half-way evil or partially evil?" Topaz asked with a grin. "Please, you guys, I'm serious!" Diamond begged as they landed on a tall building. "This is going to be the worst we've come up against so far." "She's right." Obsidian said, biting her lip. "I feel darkness welling up in this city. It's calling to me." There was silence after this particular remark. "Well, shall we?" Diamond said and last, going to the edge of the building and preparing to jump. "Wait a second!" Garnet interjected, pointing out in the other direction towards the middle of the city. "That black cloud over there-that can't be natural, can it?" The Senshi looked to see the black, swirling mass of clouds hanging over the tallest building in the city-the Sunset Tower. It was a huge glass and steel building used mainly as an observation tower. There was a large ground floor, a few floor above it, and then the whole thing slimmed so only two elevators could fit, then widened on the last floor. "If that's natural, I'll eat my halo." Diamond said grimly. "Let's go." The Scouts leapt off the building and started to leap towards the city's center, leaping over the smaller buildings and around the skyscrapers. They had almost reached the tower, when a silver-clad figure leapt in front of them to bar their path. "Tuxedo Onyx!" Topaz cried. "Why do you block our way?!" Emerald asked. "Sailors, what lies ahead is too great for you to fight now!" Tuxedo Onyx said, pointing at them mysteriously. "If you proceed, you will meet death. Turn around! This is not your fight!" "Every fight against evil is our fight." Diamond proclaimed coldly. "If we do not fight, who will? Now, will you stand with us? Or will you continue to block the path that we have chosen?" Tuxedo Onyx sighed. "I will join you." Under his breath, he muttered. "Even if you're making a huge mistake." He leapt high in the air to land behind Obsidian, who smiled at him. Diamond ignored this last remark by leaping forward again. The Scouts followed her, grim silence falling over the group. "What're we looking for, anyway?" Sapphire asked at last. "I'm not sure, but probably a general of some kind." Diamond said, scanning the buildings around her. "But it's likely we won't see him or her until the very last mom-" A shot of lightning hit the building just in front of where Diamond landed. She screamed and jumped backwards, knocking down Topaz and Emerald. A crater formed where the blast had it, opening the ceiling to the floor below. Several secretaries looked up through the large hole at them, curious and terrified. "Back up, back up, back up!" Diamond yelled, trying desperately not to fall into the hole. "Anyone see where that came from?" "No clue!" Amethyst gasped. "It just sort of-appeared." Emerald suddenly stiffened. "Jump!" The others dodged a hard right. A pillar of silver fire bloomed where they had stood. It crisped the ground and actually melted the concrete building top. They stared at it, horrified. "Eyes open, scouts." Diamond whispered, nonchalantly walking around the huge crater. The others followed, peering interestedly in at the terrified people below. Emerald and Topaz waved. "I think we should be ready." Emerald whispered, tensing suddenly. "Yes, soon..now!" The Senshi and Tuxedo Onyx leapt clear to another building, dodging a rain of green fire blossoms that poured down on the building top. Diamond looked back, worried for the secretary's sake, but did not move. "Keep moving!" Obsidian gasped. "He's going to fire again! I can feel it- " WHAM! Sparks licked at the girls' legs as they tumbled off their perch onto a smaller building that was fortunately just below. "Keep moving!" Diamond ordered. "Split up. Look for where the blasts are coming from-and be careful!!" The scouts nodded and left in a twinkling. Diamond sighed, then obeyed her own command and began leaping from building to building. There was a sudden shriek as Garnet's hair caught on fire from a blast. She beat at the flames as she landed on a building, trying to keep them from reaching her face. Diamond blinked. Under her hands, the flames retreated, leaving her hair exactly as before. Not burned or singed at all. The fire crawled down to the ends of her hair, leapt off onto the building, and vanished. "Power over fire.?" Diamond mused to herself, leaping around a larger structure. "Does that mean she controls more than her attacks?" There was another yell. Diamond looked back in time to see Amethyst cradling an arm with angry red sores bursting all over it-and the end of the shot disappearing from the Sunset Tower. Bingo. Guys! She called. The Sunset Tower!! That's where whatever creep is hiding! Obsidian immediately charged the tower with a yell. A huge blast knocked her off her feet and nearly off the edge of the building. She swayed back and forth, half unconscious. "I'm okay." She murmured dizzily before shaking her head and darting away as another blow fell. "We can't approach it directly!" Emerald called. "Let's try dodging around and hitting it one at a time!" "Let's go!" Diamond yelled, flying across the rooftops close to the tower. A rapid series of shots followed her. "Go!" She yelled to her friends, sprinting hard. "Quick!" "Come on." Tuxedo Onyx ordered, leaping forward onto the building. It was too tall to jump to the top, but the structure was made of iron zigzags and curves. He landed safely on top of an iron arch, and swiftly began climbing. The girls hesitated. "But Diamond." Garnet whimpered, looking at her friend frantically running away. "Garnet's right." Emerald said quietly. "We must help her." The girls nodded in agreement. "But how?" Obsidian asked. "Become our own moving targets?" Sapphire suggested with a laugh. "That's the second time you've suggested something that you think is funny and turns out to be a good idea." Amethyst told her with a grin and a crack of her knuckles. Sapphire gulped. "I am never opening my mouth again." She promised herself, sealing her lips tight. "Let's shake it, girls and boys!" Topaz yelled, bouncing up and down and jumping back a building. "Hey, meathead!" She yelled up at the tower. "Over here!!" "She is so nuts." Emerald sighed, bounding back to join her. "Hey! Hello up there! Oy!" She called. "Look! Here we are! Perfect targets! Come hit us!" The bolts going after Diamond stopped and aimed at the two Senshi who were jumping up and down, waving their arms energetically. The two took off, leaping and crossing paths, laughing like it was a huge joke. Diamond put her hands on her knees as she caught her breath. She smiled at the green and yellow figures. Brave idiots. "Move it, fearless leader!" Obsidian yelled, landing near her. "This is not a tea party here!" Diamond grinned and nodded before leaping onto the Sunset Tower. She promptly hit the middle of an iron beam and nearly fell off, scrambling for a better hold. Obsidian landed beside to give her a hand up. "You need a serious lesson in balance." She told her when Diamond regained her footing. "Oh, shut up." Diamond instructed, swatting at her friend playfully as the others landed near and around them. Topaz and Emerald leapt onto one last building, then quick as a flash, they were standing by Diamond and Obsidian. Diamond blinked at them. "You guys are fast." Emerald beamed at her. "Of course we are! No idea why, of course. I'm not that good in track." "Enough chitchat, please!" Obsidian yelled, pointing up to a silver speck that was almost all the way at the top of the tower already. "We have evil to defeat! Let us climb!" "Climbing." Diamond responded, leaping into the forest of beams. It was like an insane video game. Dodge here! There! Left! Right! Up! To the side! Push off! Left! Leftleftleftleftleft!!! "WAHOO!" She screamed in pure ecstasy. "Fun!" "Says you." Sapphire muttered, leaping to a spot beside her. Diamond caught a look of her queasy face before she was off again through the maze of beams. Their ascent abruptly ended as Topaz hit her head on the floor of the top level. "Ow!" She rubbed the top of her head and glared furiously at the ceiling. "Stupid tower, stupid head, stupid, stupid, stupid." She growled and crossed her arms, leaning against a beam. "Okay." Amethyst looked blankly at the ceiling. "And we get in-how?" "Ummm.." Emerald said helpfully, staring blankly at the iron cave above them. Obsidian sighed. Carefully, she raised her hand to the ceiling, and concentrated. A small black ray, like a laser, shot out of her fingers and penetrated the ceiling, making a small hole. She drew the shaft of light in a large circle, and when the two ends met, part of the ceiling completely fell away, leaving a gaping hole into the top floor. "Obsidian, that was brilliant!" Diamond breathed. "How on earth did you do it?!" "Practice." Obsidian said smoothly. In that moment, as a bit of breeze ruffled her hair, her appearance changed to something older. Deeper. Truer. All present saw this, and it worried Diamond. It was almost like her friend was slipping away into something else. Topaz broke the moment by laughing nervously. "Well, uh, shall we?" At the first sign of her voice, Obsidian's appearance faded back to how she usually was. She looked unruffled, but her skin was slightly paler. "Yes, let's!" She said eagerly, but her voice sounded tense and strained. Diamond gave Obsidian a swift glance before leaping up through the hole and vanishing into darkness. Obsidian followed suit, as did the others, all with their own private thoughts. Diamond had seen something in Obsidian, as clear as she could see her friend's face. Something was wrong. She put this thought in a special spot at the back of her memory as they began to walk through the dark top level. She would talk to her later. "So we're in the lion's mouth." Garnet muttered, peering around the gloom. "Now what?" "We get out?" Sapphire suggested. Everyone ignored her. Diamond hesitated, then carefully spun her finger in the air. A small ball of light sparked and suddenly came to life, sending out comforting rays for a few feet before they were enveloped back into darkness. "How'd you do that?" Emerald asked curiously. "Practice." Diamond replied, with a small giggle and a smile at Obsidian. The ball of light seemed to dance merrily in the air with her laugh. It bounced back and forth a few times before slowly moving forward into the darkness. "Follow it." Diamond ordered. "I think it might be leading us, now." "Our leader's been replaced by a firefly?" Amethyst asked innocently. "Shut up." The ball of light seemed to turn back. It flew to Amethyst's face and shook back and forth a few times, like it was scolding her. Still shaking, it moved forward again, once in a while hesitating to float back to her. "I think you displeased it." Garnet said with a giggle. Amethyst blinked at the thing. "You know, I think it might be tied to Diamond's emotions. Since she created it, and all." "If it responded to my emotions, you would be sliced and diced by now." Diamond said dryly. As if listening to this, the light ball nodded energetically before moving forward again. The Senshi giggled, even Diamond. A small, thin, shriek pierced the air, coming from the light ball. Before they could move, something closed upon it and snuffed it out like a candle. In the darkness, no one moved or spoke. "What happened?" Sapphire asked at last in a small voice. "The light creature went away." Emerald whispered. "Went away nothing." Topaz said, voice shaking only slightly. "It was snuffed out, or my jewel's the fool's gold." Garnet whimpered, but said nothing. A harsh breathing suddenly filled the air to Amethyst's right. She yelled, and without thinking, snatched out into the darkness with her fist. It hit something hard with a clang, and she drew away with a curse. All the Senshi edged away from the noise. "Hello?" Amethyst called, rubbing her fist in the darkness. "Who's there?" No answer. Carefully, Diamond spun her finger in the blackness. Another light globe popped up and flew around in the air, flying up to the ceiling and growing brighter and more radiant, illuminating the whole building. The Senshi stared at the humanoid thing in front of them. He was taller- taller even than spike-and thin as a rail, but with clear muscles. His hair was a dark gray, and his eyes were like two round, expressionless clouds. A suit of black armor and a dark cape were his clothes, and a hard, bright dagger gleamed in his fist. "Who are you?" Diamond asked finally, voice sounding as if it came from within thick cotton padding. The-man-examined her coldly. "I am Xavier." "Minion of Rubian?" Obsidian guessed. The man said nothing, merely regarded her with his frozen glare like a hawk's. Obsidian shuddered nervously under that gaze, but did not break eye contact. Finally, the man growled, "Yes. And you are the Sailor Senshi of this Planet." "Correct." Topaz replied, voice sounding high and frightened. "I was summoned specially to kill you." The man went on, unsheathing a glimmering black blade and pressing his thumb to the edge, cutting it deeply. "Ithengil is very displeased with your interference." "Ithengil?" Emerald repeated. The name was familiar, but not in a good way. The man did not answer this request. He merely moved his finger down along the blade, causing his black blood to coat the end. The girls shuddered. "Stop that!" Garnet said finally. "Stop hurting yourself." The man grinned like a wolf. "Merely testing it. I prefer killing in one swift stroke." He removed his finger from the blade, but for some reason no cut or scar was apparent on his flesh, though the blade dripped with his blood. "How lovely." Emerald said, voice calm. "Wonderful conversation and manners you generals of Rubian pick up, you know. Splendid." "Just peachy." Diamond agreed, shifting her weight just to slightest bit to a fighter's stance. "We're not created to talk politely with our victims, you know." Xavier said softly, slowly drawing back his cloak. Everyone shivered at the tone of his voice. "Speaking with our executioner." Garnet kept gibbering under her breath. A low moan echoed through the air, coming from a dark corner. Diamond squinted as the light ball grew a bit brighter. She gasped as she made out a silver figure lying motionless on the floor. "Tuxedo Onyx!" Obsidian was gone from their side in an instant. She ran to where their caped crusader lay and bent over him. "Are you all right?" She gasped, kneeling and turning him over onto his back. Tuxedo Onyx grinned weakly at her. His body was cut multiple times, and the cuts were deep. Blood flowed, making a pool on the ground under him, soaking his gray clothes, turning them a shade of maroon. Obsidian gently raised his head, smiling down at him, tears in her eyes. "Hang in there, okay? I'll get Diamond over here. She can cure you, she can cure anything! Just, hang on." Tuxedo Onyx's eyes closed. His breathing came deeper. "DIAMOND!" Obsidian screamed at the top of her lungs. Diamond broke the stare contest with Xavier to mutter a hurried instruction to her comrades. Then she flew to Obsidian's side, wincing as she saw Tuxedo Onyx. "It's bad." She said, sighing in a resigned way. "Everlasting Love Purify!" Tuxedo Onyx gasped as the light painfully penetrated all his wounds. He clenched his fists as the pain went on and on. Diamond watched this worriedly. "I think he's got a lot of internal damage, also." She whispered to Obsidian, standing. "Keep him company." She turned around to look at Xavier, moving back towards the group cautiously. Obsidian watched as Tuxedo Onyx writhed in pain on the ground, gasping for air, fists clenching and unclenching. Slowly, she slid her hand into his. He squeezed it hard, and both winced in pain. The light finally was beginning to flow out of his wounds and vanish, healing them as they came. His grip slowly relaxed as the last of the rays vanished. He opened his eyes to smile up at her. "Thank you." "Welcome." Obsidian murmured back, letting a few tears fall. "Stay down, please. Rest a little." Tuxedo Onyx sighed and obeyed, closing his eyes again as he slipped into unconsciousness. The Senshi and Xavier, meanwhile, were staring each other down. "You hurt our Guardian." Topaz said matter-of-factly. "We don't like that." Emerald told him. "Not at all." Sapphire agreed with a scowl. "He's a good protector and friend." Garnet piped up with her own fiery glare at Xavier. "Do I care?" Xavier asked, raising his blade slightly and swinging it around to point at Onyx and Obsidian. Topaz felt the purring of the air as energy began to grow. "Uh-oh." She whispered, then in a yell, "Obsidian! Tuxedo! Watch out!!!!" Obsidian turned to see Xavier pointing a saber at her. A ball of green light formed around the entire blade. With a yell, he leapt high into the air and started to come down-on top of them! Obsidian stared up, petrified, mind frantically pouring through her memories. Something was tingling at the back of her mind-now what was it!? Xavier had almost landed- A curious light swam in Obsidian's eyes. Slowly, she raised her hands, palms facing Xavier. "Malady Barrier.." Something cold as ice whispered in the air around Obsidian. Her face was grim. Xavier landed near her and started to charge. The closer he got to Obsidian, however, something strange began happening. His skin turned a pale green. Bulging muscles vanished. Xavier gasped for air, and-a foot away-he collapsed in a heap, coughing up phlegm. "A defensive attack." Emerald whispered, watching. "A shield of some sort?" Sapphire wondered. "Like mine?" "No," Garnet whispered. "It looks more like she's making the guy ill!" Xavier began crawling away from Obsidian, breathing hard, dry gagging frantically. As the distance between them increased, he began to kneel, and then stand. Muscles grew again. His skin turned pale again as his breathing went back to normal. He finally stood a few yards away, glaring at Obsidian. "You come near us." Obsidian growled, not showing any signs of drainage. "And I swear I'll rip your heart out." She kneeled by Tuxedo Onyx, and with a final glare, turned away. "I think Obsidian's out of the fight for this one." Diamond murmured. "She's definitely gone on our guardian." "Oh boy." Sapphire muttered. "And with them safe, of course his wrath's going to come down on us. Peachy and perfect." Her prophecy was definitely true, as at that moment a huge wave of silver energy poured out at them. The Senshi leapt away, grim expression outlined on every face. "Same plan as before." Diamond instructed. "Keep moving. If you get a chance, fly in and attack. Go!" The Senshi nodded and took off. Diamond sighed and look up. It was fortunate this place had a high ceiling. Emerald let out a cry as part of the wave hit her foot. The cry turned into a scream of pain and pure fright. Below the ankle, her foot was completely gone. She stared at her stump of a leg in horror before fainting away. "Emerald!" The Scouts cried as the silver wave turned and aimed for her prone form. Topaz, who was closest, made a quick decision. She turned and landed by her friend, gathered her in her arms, and took off a split second before the wave hit where she had been kneeling. She landed a safe distance away as Amethyst and Sapphire bravely caught Xavier's attention; depositing Emerald gently on the ground, she looked for Diamond. Diamond was there in a flash of gold, sitting by her injured friend. Emerald woke back up, looked down, saw the empty place where her foot had once occupied, and began to shiver, going very white. "She's in shock." Diamond muttered tiredly. She pressed her hands on the stump of a leg. "Hope this works for missing pieces too-Everlasting Love Purify!" The golden light swarmed around Emerald's foot. She winced as color came back into her cheeks, and gave a low moan. Topaz held her shoulders reassuringly as Emerald buried her head into her friend's hair. Diamond concentrated as the light wove about, directing it with the smallest hand movements. Slowly the outline of a foot became visible, then the bones, then the muscle, and finally the blood vessels and the skin covering all of this. Emerald's shoe reappeared as the light faded back into Diamond's fingers. She sighed and rubbed her eyes, looking drained. Emerald wiggled her foot and tapped it once or twice to make sure it was solid. Her eyes filled with tears, and without a word she gave Diamond a tight hug. "Thank you, Angie." She whispered in her friend's ear, tears falling on the top of her fuku. Diamond wearily squeezed her back before the two stood and glared at Xavier, Diamond swaying slightly. "Watch it!" Amethyst screamed from across the room. "He's changed his attack-" Xavier turned and saw the other three standing there, looking perplexed. His left hand had changed to what looked like a bunch of spear points. He leveled his arm, aimed at Diamond, and fired. Topaz and Emerald gasped as huge vine-like things shot out, ends looking as sharp as razors. They all hit Diamond in the middle of her body and kept moving, flinging her back until she hit the wall, screaming in pain. The sharp ends were all embedded deep in her stomach, probably in all her organs. She held onto the top vines, staring in detached horror at the things poking into her body. Pain was hitting her like shock waves, centering all around her middle and her back. Carefully reaching around, Diamond realized the points had gone right through her. This was the last thought she had before her mind went completely blank. The Senshi stared across in unbelieving horror at their leader who was looking somewhat like a shish kebab on the far wall. She was absent- mindedly stroking the strong vines, eyes almost blank. "Oh, my God." Garnet whispered. "Oh my God." * * * "HAH!" Jedin crowed ecstatically, looking into a black crystal. "I don't believe this! Score!" "What is it?" Damon asked uncomfortably, stretching from his spot on a black marble statue. "Only that Xavier's taken out his first scout." Jedin replied gleefully, pointing at the round crystal. "And to make matters better, it's our friendly little leader, too!" Damon's mind whirled in a haze at that. Confusion, anger, disbelief- sadness? A prickling came to his eyes as he ran forward to stare into the ball. Diamond had been stabbed completely through by Xavier's Razor Vines. She was staring at them in horror, touching them, not seeming to feel the pain. His eyes burned watching her look so helpless. "Enlarge it! Let everyone see!" Jedin cried, throwing the crystal up into the air and drawing it out to its full size. All the generals watched it eagerly. Damon felt himself gasping slightly for air, but he could not tear his eyes away. Which is why no one missed what happened next. * * * Diamond's blue eyes shifted suddenly. A light came into them, turning them a brighter color than before. She blinked a few times as her eyes began to glow. At the same time, her pupils completely vanished. A golden light began to grow in her hands. "What's happening?" Sapphire whispered, staring at her leader. "I've-got this strange feeling." Obsidian murmured, rubbing her hands together unconsciously. "Something's going to happen. Something big." Diamond's hands suddenly stopped moving. They grabbed at the stalks of razor vines, holding them tightly Xavier watched this, bafflement on his pale face. A strange, bright slow illuminated the air around Diamond's head. It slowly moved down her entire body, growing brighter and brighter until she looked something like a human firefly. Her lips moved as she whispered a word into the air. A torrent of golden light streamed up the vines to Xavier. The rays of light hit him and began to do-something- to him. He yelled and tried to wriggling away, but the light wouldn't let him go. And as they kept contact, Diamond grew brighter. An unfelt breeze swirled around her hair, making in fan out in golden waves. Diamond was changing; growing in height, fingers growing longer and more elegant, and face seeming to become alien and beautiful. There was a flash of gold in her eyes as the light battled with Xavier. There was a shattering of glass as an immense wave of golden energy poured out from Diamond and went in all directions, breaking the windows of the Sunset Tower and flying out into the sky. The vines sizzled and vanished into nothing as the light sped back from Xavier, who collapsed on the floor. Diamond's changes went backward as she turned to her usual self. Her eyes opened wide as the last of the golden light disappeared, then her eyes rolled into her head and she sank to the ground, body limp. The Senshi all stared at her, feeling rather shell-shocked. Where the vines had pierced her skin, there was nothing to be seen. Just the last remnants of a golden light vanishing. "Is-shall we-check?" Topaz said at last. Carefully, the Senshi made the way to their fallen leader, fear blossoming in all's eyes. Diamond breathed, but faintly and slowly. Garnet and Obsidian knelt closest to her and took her hand, while Emerald propped her head up under her knees. Tuxedo Onyx looked down on the warrior, respect and sadness in his eyes. Diamond's eyes suddenly fluttered open, but they were silver and full of light. The Senshi edged backwards slightly, but Diamond grasped Garnet's hand, and whispered something, in a beautiful, musical voice. "Dommet kiel ammo dedutchtoe, Sailor Senshi." Her eyes closed again. The scouts stared at her, hardly breathing. "What was that all about?" Sapphire asked finally. "Those words-they sounded familiar." Obsidian muttered in confusion, rubbing her head. "Like I've heard them before." "But I don't recognize the language at all." Amethyst murmured, gently touching her leader's hand. "And yet, it reminds me of something." "Something." Garnet agreed. "Something from long, long ago." * * * The generals gaped soundlessly at the crystal ball, eyes as wide as saucers. "This isn't good." Spike said after a few minutes. "This is not good." "What happened to her?" Katrina whispered, unusually quiet and serious. "She took on the aspect of Princess Diamond." Damon said quietly, the smallest hint of a smirk playing on his mouth. "Not just the aspect." Ithengil said in a creaky voice. "It seems we need to recheck our priorities. I had counted on them not getting their memories of High Princesses back just yet-but with Diamond already calling on ancient powers-and draining all the energy we collected?!" He finished with a shriek. "Xavier! Get back here now!!!!" Xavier appeared with a pop, looked strained and tense. "YOU USED THE ENERGY WE HAD COLLECTED TO FUEL YOURSELF?!?!?!?!" Ithengil demanded in a screech. Xavier shrugged. "Yes. I was drained, Ithengil. You all kept me locked up so I couldn't get any." "You were supposed to drain a human!" Ithengil said in a strangled tone. "Not use our resources!!!!" "So what?" Xavier asked, giving Ithengil a cold, cruel stare of nonchalance. Ithengil promptly hit Xavier over his head with the staff. Xavier growled at him and lunged before finding himself locked to a wall with solid marble handcuffs. "I'll get back to you later." Ithengil snarled, turning his back on the bound man. He began to pace. "Not good, not good." He turned finally to stare at the generals. "You have a new mission. You are all to keep collecting energy from humans-but this comes second now. Understand?" "So what's first?" Uther asked, cool voice shaken. Ithengil pointed to the screen where Sailor Diamond lay still and silent, breathing lightly. "Kill her." * * * "Demetri!" Lune gasped, staring at the screen from which she had watched the fight. "What?" Demetri asked, looking up from a tuna fish sandwich. "What was the first language of Opal?" Lune asked in a strangled voice. Demetri looked puzzled. "The one all the royalty knew? Old Armen, wasn't it? Why?" Lune said nothing, but Demetri had guessed by her silence. "One of them was speaking it?!" "Diamond was." Lune said grimly. "After she defeated a general by tapping into her life force and surviving several spears in her organs." Demetri tried to whistle, and failed because cats as a rule do not have lips. "What did she say?" He asked. Lune concentrated hard. "Dommet kiel ammo dedutchtoe Sailor Senshi, I believe." She whispered. "Doesn't that mean." "Have no fear, Sailor Senshi." Demetri supplied, sighing. "We can't put this off anymore, Lune. They've got to know." Lune sighed and nodded meekly. "I know, Demetri. There's no telling how they'll take it, you know." Demetri nodded. "We've got good girls. They'll handle themselves fine." 


	13. A World Where She Disappeared? Ithengil...

Emerald shook Diamond by the shoulders vigorously. But Diamond didn't move. Her head slumped from side to side as she moaned in her sleep. "Enough, Emerald." Garnet said at last. "She's out cold." "Again?" Amethyst sighed. "She spends more time being knocked out than fighting!" She gave their leader a scowl before sighing. "So now what?" Sapphire asked. "Xavier's gone, at least. That's one good thing." "I wouldn't be surprised." Obsidian replied. "Didn't you feel that shock of energy that emitted from Sleeping Beauty, here? That was enough to kill if it was centered on a single being. Thankfully it wasn't, it was probably a reaction." "Some reaction!" Topaz snapped. "Sounding like some ancient creature and wiping out all the glass on this floor not to mention defeating an evil guy all on her own!!!! Jeez!" "We can't stay here." Tuxedo Onyx said tiredly, glancing around at the open spaces between iron plats. "I'd be willing to bet the enemy knew we were fighting here. Reinforcements could come at any time, and we're weak." "Point taken." Obsidian said, straightening. "Do you think you could carry Diamond?" Tuxedo Onyx smiled weakly. "Normally, yes, but now." He raised his hand to touch his pale cheek lightly. "I don't think I could carry a baby chick, let alone a human, no matter how thin." Emerald sighed. "So now what? I don't think any of us can carry her." "Need some help?" A deep voice asked from the other side of the room. Obsidian's eyes narrowed as she saw Storm, Thunder, and Bullet standing on the other side of the room. "What do you want?" Bullet smiled slightly. "Thought you might need some assistance." "We're fine." Amethyst said, cracking her knuckles slightly. Storm snorted. "No, you're not. Your leader's unconscious and none of you look strong enough to even dream of getting her out of here." "So?" Emerald asked, glowering at Storm, who glared back to a man. "Don't need your aid." Bullet shrugged. "Hey, no skin off our backs. Just thought you could use some assistance." Topaz smiled a little at him, the frown on her forehead disappearing. "We could, a little, but." "But we don't want help from a bunch of self-righteous bullies who show up to help almost nada!!" Sapphire put in, glaring. "Please." All eyes swung to face Diamond. She was very pale, but her eyes were open, and she was sitting up slightly. "Don't fight." She whispered, eyes dark. "The true enemy is coming. We must work together." Her voice was a harsh, ragged, ancient-sounding whisper. She did not sound like the bubbly girl the scouts knew. She sounded like a warrior who had seen too many fights. Her eyes closed as she breathed in deeply, then fixed them with a clear-eyed stare. "Please. Work together. Senshi and demon hunters. Girls and boys. Warriors and bounty-seekers." Storm opened his mouth, then swallowed hard and nodded. "I'll take the leader." He said roughly. "Anyone else need help?" The Senshi shook their heads, mercurial. They slowly helped their leader to her feet and supported her as Storm gently picked her up and held her in his arms. Thunder and Amethyst remained glaring at each other before Amethyst broke eye contact to turn away with a sniff. Diamond looked up at Storm, dark eyes seeing his face but not seeming to acknowledge it. "You've got a secret" was all she said before her eyes closed and her head tilted back as she lost consciousness again. Storm stared down at her, eyes opening in shock before a cold mask slipped on his face again. He looked back to find Emerald's curious eyes upon him. She was close enough to have heard what Diamond had said. Storm gave her a cold glare before turning away and walking towards the elevator. "Do you know what's wrong with Diamond?" Obsidian asked Tuxedo Onyx in a low voice as they walked forward. Tuxedo Onyx shook his head and replied in a low tone, "Divine power is my bet. That energy wasn't human." "Not human?" Obsidian snorted. "Diamond may be many things, but human she is." "Maybe." Onyx said, watching the girl's pale, listless face. "And maybe not." Obsidian snorted. "So what? She's an alien?" Tuxedo Onyx said nothing. He just eyed Sailor Diamond carefully. One blue eye opened and caught his. It slowly closed and opened again in a wink, then closed again. A small smile was evident on the corners of her mouth. As her mind slipped into blackness yet again, she fleetingly let her mind drift... I'm glad I didn't have to meet you today, Damon. I don't think I could have fought you. Chapter Nine  
  
".You seriously were awesome, though, Angie!" Lacie said. It was that Friday, and the girls were in their training gym waiting to start their programs. Lacie was doing a vivid reenactment of yesterday's battle. She waved her hands energetically in the air, miming how the light had swarmed outwards. "A-and then, you spoke in that spooky voice and said those weird words, can't remember what they were." "Dommet kiel ammo dedutchoe, Sailor Senshi." All the girls stopped chattering to stare in amazement at Lune, who had been listening to their conversation carefully. She now fixed them with a piercing stare as Demetri stopped fiddling with the controls to saunter over to sit beside her. Lune turned her stare on Angie. "Do you remember saying that, Angela?" Angie nodded slowly. "I-I do. I remember." She frowned and bit her lip. "And-I know what it means." A silence fell over the group. Angie's hands were shaking slightly, and a anxious expression was outlined in her face and eyes. Rachelle carefully slipped her hand into Angie's tense one and gave it a squeeze before retreating. Angie relaxed, and looked calmly at Lune. "Have no fear, Sailor Senshi. Have no fear. That's what it means, isn't it?" Lune nodded slowly, not removing her eyes. Small volts of electricity seemed to be shooting from them now. Angie's eyes were growing distant again. "The language I spoke in-it wasn't from Earth, I know that. It's not familiar at all." Lune nodded again, eyes growing larger and more intense than ever. "But it IS familiar." Marisa said softly. "I can tell I've heard it before. Maybe once a long time ago-I don't know, maybe something from our past lives as princesses or whatever-" "Not your past lives." Lune said quietly. Marisa blinked. "What?" "Not. Your. Past. Lives." Lune repeated slowly, the familiar annoyed tone coming into her voice before Demetri gave her a look. Mary promptly grabbed Demetri as Angie grabbed Lune. They both shook their respective cat energetically. "What are you hiding?!" Mary yelled, ecstatically beating the crap out of Demetri before he embedded his claws in her hand and she dropped him. Demetri wheezed on the floor and gave her a look. "Cut that out! I get enough of it from your father!" "He's staying with you?" Angie asked, dropping Lune. "I didn't know that." "Yup!" Mary beamed. "Always wanted a cat." "What was that about your father?" Malorie asked curiously. "My father wishes to hit Demetri over the head with a large stick." Mary said happily, petting Demetri soothingly. "Almost did once too." Demetri sniffed. "If we could PLEASE get back to the topic at hand?!?!" Lune shouted. Angie winked at Elisha. "Now there's the Lune we know and love." Elisha giggled. Lune sniffed haughtily before her eyes turned deadly serious. "Tell me," she said to Angie, who was watching her impassively. "Who do you think you are?" Angie blinked. "I'm-Angela Kay Pirko. Human person. One of many weirdoes of the 9th grade." Lune shook her head. "No." Angie blinked again. "No?" "You're not Angela Kay Pirko or Angie or Ange." Demetri cut in. "But-I am." Angie said, feeling a strange sort of panic. "Aren't I?" "No." Lune said firmly. Puzzlement and fright were clear on her face before she relaxed and smiled. "Oh, I get it. I'm Sailor Diamond, right? Defender of the innocent, lady of love, reincarnation of Princess Diamond-" "No." Angie stared at the small golden cat with serious blue eyes. "Wh-what are you saying, Lune?" She asked, voice quavering. The girls beside and around her were silent and still, all eyes focused on the golden creature. For the tiniest of moments, Lune seemed more human than feline again. Then she moved slightly to walk calmly up to where Angie was sitting. She put tiny paws on her knees, looked the girl straight in the eye, and said slowly. "You are not Angela Pirko, and you are not the Sailor Scout you think you are. You aren't even human." Angie stared at her a moment, eyes bugging out of her head. The girls gasped. "Neither are you all." Lune said, looking from Rachelle to Mary to Elisha to Lacie to Malorie to Marisa and back to Angie. "Not one of you is human." "But-we look human." Mary said weakly. Lune snorted. "But do you act it? Do you feel it?" "Yes!" Elisha burst out, but there was uncertainty in her expression. "Have any of you ever gotten sick?" Lune asked sharply. No one replied in the affirmative, though there were some mutters in the negative. "Any teeth problems? Strange diseases?" Lune inquired again. "I need glasses." Elisha piped up. Rachelle and Mary nodded in agreement. Lune snorted. "That's only the human part of you. Soon you won't." Lacie folded her arms across her chest. "Okay, then, kitty-if we're not human, what are we?" Demetri came close to rub against Lune's side comfortingly. Lune took a deep breath. "You are Opalian." "Opa-whosit?" Marisa asked with a frown. "You are not the reincarnations of the seven Crown Princesses." Lune said firmly. "You ARE them." The silence was so deep that several crickets chirping outside shut up, feeling the tension in the air. After fifteen full minutes, Rachelle stirred and looked at Lune with an expression that was disbelieving, but eyes that were only halfway skeptical. "But Lune-we'd have to be-what? Thousands of years old!! If that's true- " she glanced around, "-then we all aged REALLY well. It's not possible." There were some muted laughs, but no one openly agreed with her. Rachelle didn't even seem to agree with herself, as she frowned down at the ground, half-consciously arguing with what she had said. "Everything in our lives for the past two weeks has been impossible." Malorie said, to everyone's confirmation. "Right about that." Mary said with a small laugh. "Cute guys noticing us, Angie being saved by a hottie, actually showing Hannah up-" "Yeah, and we just happened to save the world a few times in there." Marisa said with a grin. The giggles that followed broke the tension like glass shattering on a hard floor. Jokes and laughs were exchanged between the friends for a few seconds before things quieted down again. "Wow." Angie said finally, breathing out in a sigh. "Wow. I mean-I really am that majestic princess? We all really ARE the ones who did that sacrifice?" "We all really had those HOT dates at the dance?" Rachelle asked. "Except for Angie." Mary said with a snigger. Angie calmly grabbed a long clump of Mary's hair. "What was that? I must not have heard you properly." "I refuse to answer on the grounds that you may make me bald." Angie gave a last yank and let go. Mary massaged her scalp a little with a glare at her friend. Lune was blinking at them all. "You're not alarmed? Or frightened?" Malorie shrugged. "Well, sure we are. But-you know-we can't remember any of that. We can't remember our past lives-our past, I mean- just what you showed us. And that's not much at all." "Your memories will return, but might take months or years." Demetri said, staring at the girls seriously. "And when they do, it will be tough on you lot. The images you will see will not be from an outsider's point of view. They will be your own." "But-didn't they-we-die?" Elisha asked curiously. "Yes." Demetri answered promptly. "Oh." Elisha paused. "Um-then-uh-what happened to our souls? And our bodies? If I remember correctly, they faded away." Demetri sighed. "Both your bodies and souls were transported to a dream- like dimension instead of going to heaven or hell. Lune and I were assigned to watch them, our souls and bodies having arrived-sooner." There was the slightest hint of hesitation, of grief in his voice. But it vanished as swiftly as it had come. Marisa swallowed hard. "How did-how did you die?" "I was crushed under a pillar." Lune said, matter-of-fact tone faltering. "I remember." Demetri said, looking suddenly older. "I'll never forget it, either." Lune gave him a slight nudge of affection. "I died when the atmosphere on our planet evaporated." He continued, sighing. "Not at all a pleasant sensation. Something like having your lungs forcibly removed from your chest via large pliers." He shuddered a little. Angie slowly stood up, and then, to everyone's amazement, she bowed low to both cats. "I-I am sorry." She said softly. "I can't remember betraying our planet, but I apologize for being unable to save you." "It's all turned out much for the better, Diamond." Lune said, giving the girl a rare affectionate glance. "What seems like a bad decision at the time can be changed. Tables turn and fates are lifted up and put down. Your choice turned out to be the better one." Angie smiled a little sadly. Then she clapped her hands together. "All righty, folks! So, what shall we do today? Slay demons, fight evil hotties, learn more new horrible secrets about ourselves-such as we are actually vampires and have no souls and will therefore go to hell?" Lune thought for a moment. "Nope. No more horrible secrets today." * * * "It's kind of creepy." Elisha said an hour later. The group was near the school, eating ice cream and talking. "To think that we all existed thousands of years ago..don't you think that's creepy, Mary?" She looked in the direction of her black-haired friend. Mary was clearly not paying attention. "Over there!" She exclaimed, pointing at the college across the way. A tall, auburn haired man had just exited the front building. "He is SO cool." "Why?" Angie asked curiously, catching a chocolate ice cream drip. "Well, I hear that he NEVER gets in trouble for wearing that hat of his!" Malorie put in, watching the man adjust the said hat and glance around. "Not even in school or in churches! He wears it EVERYWHERE!" "Maybe he's like Professor Quirrel and has a face on the top of his head!" Lacie said eagerly. Everyone gave her a strange look before turning back to look at the guy. "Hmmmm.." Rachelle said, eyeing the man critically. "Not bad.in my professional opinion, I'll have to give him an eight out of ten." "WHAT?!" Mary and Lacie immediately screamed before pouncing on Rachelle and tickling her. "He's not!" Lacie yelled. "More like a ten!!" "Stop!" Rachelle gasped, giggling. "All right! Ten! Eleven! Whatever!" Mary and Lacie straightened triumphantly while the rest of the girls giggled. Rachelle stopped laughing suddenly to look up into the sky. "I agree with Elisha. It's-strange. I mean, think about it! We have seniority over practically everyone! We were around before Aristotle, Socrates, Plato, Einstein, Washington-everyone." "And lord knows how old they were." Malorie grinned, chewing on a piece of gum. Rachelle remained solemn. A strange look was in her eyes. She sprang up suddenly and said quickly, "Excuse me, will you? I want to ask Lune something." Without another word, she ran off. Mary watched her go in some perplexity. "Now where's she off to?" * * * Rachelle entered into the gym, clutching a stitch at her side. "Lune!" She called. "Demetri!" A golden furry face peered at her from behind a large chair. "Gracious, Garnet, what's wrong?" Lune asked, turning the chair to face her. Rachelle walked hesitantly up to Lune, face troubled. "Um, Lune-you know how, we're like-thousands of years old? And you showed us our past when we first met you?" Lune nodded, seriously. "Um, then-" Rachelle hesitated, then went on in a rush. "That night-the night everything fell apart-some of us were dancing with guys. Were we-in love with them? Are those our one-timers?" Lune eyed her seriously, but said nothing in reply. "Because-if they are-" Rachelle paused. "I-couldn't have been in love with mine because-I love Kyle, don't I? I mean, he means the most to me in the world.and he knows I'm a scout." She bit her lip to see how Lune would react to this. Lune's eyes widened a bit, but she still said nothing. Rachelle went on, "Because-if the guy comes back-or exists now, or something-I don't want to hurt his feelings or anything. I really don't want to hurt anybody, but, I suppose I'll have to, won't I? Either my past or my present guy." A slow tear trickled down her cheek. Lune finally stirred and gave Rachelle a rare, warm smile. "I must say, Rachelle, you are most certainly the most caring person and scout I've ever known. You are almost exactly like Sailor Moon in that point." Rachelle blushed at the compliment. "As for your lover," Lune's brow furrowed. "Well, your guy-Kyle, you say? What does he look like?" Rachelle blinked. "Dark hair-almost purple. Dark eyes, deep, like the ocean. Tall, nice muscles, strong but not too muscular. Sort of pale, but very handsome, all the same." Her eyes went dreamy for a moment before the worry returned. She bit her lip as she looked at Lune. A high, bell-like sound pierced the room. Lune was laughing. "Oh dear, oh my stars-" She chortled. "What's so funny?!" Rachelle demanded indignantly. Lune giggled before attempting to keep a straight face. "It's just, my dear, well-take a closer look at your Kyle sometime. Or better yet, at what he can do." Her barely-concealed mirth exploded and she rocked back and forth on her paws, gasping for breath between gales of laughter. Rachelle couldn't get another word out of her. With a sigh, she left the training gym to return to her friends, mulling Lune's peculiarity in her mind. She heard her friends before she saw them. "Cut that OUT!!!" Malorie wailed amidst laughter. "Stop calling me a candy!!!! My name's Malorie! Malorie!!" "Sure, M&M." A voice-Oz-said promptly. There were resounding laughs punctuated by Malorie's wails. Rachelle grinned as her friends came into sight. Sure enough, Oz, Andrew, and Lance were with them, Oz teasing Malorie, Andrew laughing with Marisa and Mary, and Lance with his nose in a rather large book. "Hey, Rachelle!" Elisha said, greeting her with a wave and a giggle. She was peering over Lance's shoulder into his book. Rachelle saw him glance at her in annoyance before shifting his shoulders to block her view. Elisha promptly moved her head to a better angle. By the exasperation on Lance's face, Rachelle had the feeling this had been going on for a while. "Call me MALORIE!!!" Malorie yelled, hitting Oz on the top of his head in frustration. Oz laughed mockingly at her, a friendly light in his eyes. Rachelle saw this clearly, though no one else seemed to notice it. She blinked at Oz. Was he in truth hiding a crush on Mal? "Sure, Malorie." Oz said, mischievously. "Anything you say, Malorie. Would you like some fries, Malorie? Shall I carry you on my shoulder to the nearest watering hole, Queen Malorie?" "Stop it!" Malorie wailed, swatting his arm. "I'm calling you Malorie!" Oz protested, grinning. "You're being annoying and you know it!" Malorie cried. "Angie, make him stop!" Angie sighed, then winked at Rachelle who grinned back. "Go ahead, Mom." She teased. Angie sniffed in pretend outrage. "Ah! Scandalous! Early bedtime for you, junior!" She said haughtily, laughing. "Awwww, mommy, we don't wanna!" Mary and Lacie said in unison, Lacie having wrestled Elisha away from Lance. He gave her a look of gratitude. Lacie beamed at him. He colored slightly, then stuck his nose back down and pretended to be vigorously reading. Elisha gave Lacie a sour glance. "Your mother's right kids." Marisa said importantly. "Let her and Daddy alone." The girls shrieked with laughter. Even Malorie chuckled a little. Rachelle snuck to her side to whisper in Mal's ear, "I think Oz has a crush on you." Malorie flushed a deep rose, then raised her nose proudly. "And what if he does? It's no concern of mine." "Then why are you blushing?" Malorie at this moment took great interest in a beetle crawling on the ground and didn't reply. Rachelle giggled. "You like him!! Oooh, I'm going to tell him!" "You wouldn't DARE!!!" Malorie accidentally yelled out loud. Everyone stopped laughing to stare at her. Malorie's already pink face went a deep red. "Wouldn't dare what?" Mary asked curiously. "N-nothing." Malorie said hastily, clamping a firm hand over Rachelle's mouth and starting to drag her away. "Ozmph!!!" Rachelle squeaked from behind her hand. "Shut up!" Malorie yelled. "What?" Oz asked, having clearly heard his name. "Nothing!" Malorie cried, glaring fiercely at him, yellow sparks seeming to shoot from her eyes. Rachelle pried Mal's hand off her face to cry, "She likes-" Malorie's hand instantly came back down. "-mpmh!" "Shut up!" Malorie hissed. "Or I swear I will kill you and feed your guts to lobsters." "Not the lobsters!" Rachelle wailed. "Accursed crustaceans! Fine! I shall be silent as a tomb!" Malorie gingerly lifted her hand. Rachelle breathed deeply, and glared at her. "Honestly. No need to suck out my breath! You are like the plugged snorkel! Unbreathable!" "Sorry." Malorie said sheepishly, smiling falsely to the raptly listening crowd. "I wouldn't have told anyway." Rachelle said mulishly, feeling her lips slightly. "Wouldn't have told what?" A voice asked from behind them. Rachelle's breath caught in her throat. A feeling-half love that she was used to, half panic that she was not-rose in her stomach. "Hi, Kyle!" She squeaked, turning around. Kyle gave her a puzzled grin. "Hey, firecracker." He said smoothly. "What's up?" Rachelle blushed a little at the nickname. "Uh-nothing." She muttered, looking at the ground. The thoughts of both men were tearing at her soul. "Where's our greeting?" Marisa sniffed in injury. Kyle grinned. "Hey, Sea-goddess. Hello, all." He looked at Oz, Lance, and Andrew in puzzlement. "Hi." He said politely. "Um-who are you?" "I'm Osborne Tamahome-call me Oz-and this is Andrew Asahi and Lance Kino." Oz said formally, with a small smile. A look of mistrust was in all their eyes, as Rachelle noted with interest-and worry. "Kyle is my boyfriend." She said happily, thinking maybe that the guys thought he would steal one of the girls, though she wasn't sure if Andrew or Lance had a crush on anyone yet. Though Lance's blush was interesting. The wary look didn't lift. "Pleased to meet you." Andrew said, voice as stiff as Oz's. Kyle sensed this unfriendly attitude also. His pleasant look was starting to close into coldness. Marisa sensed the tension also. She smiled brightly at Andrew (his frostiness melted more than a little) and said gaily, "Kyle's a friend of ours! Rachelle's been going with him for-what did you say, Rachelle?" She asked, with a meaningful look at her. "Um-for about nine months now." Rachelle stammered, knowing she hadn't ever told them when they had gotten together. "That's right!" Marisa said happily. For some reason, the strain immediately lifted. Oz grinned at Kyle. "Cool. Rachelle's very nice." "Thank you." Kyle said coldly. Rachelle elbowed him slightly. Kyle! Sorry, he replied. "Um-I apologize for our-rudeness." Andrew said awkwardly. "You just sort of-looked like someone we knew. He came here a few weeks ago and-we really don't like him, so." He laughed a little. "Sorry. We cool?" He offered Kyle a hand. Kyle eyed it a moment before grasping it firmly and shaking. "We're cool." Friendly chatter resumed. But Marisa grabbed Rachelle elbow firmly and towed her away slightly. When they were out of earshot, she said in a low voice, "Why and how were you speaking psychically with Kyle?" Rachelle gaped at her. "You can sense-" "Yes, I can, and never mind!" Marisa said angrily. "I've grown stronger than you would think, but how is it you can communicate with your mind to a non-scout?!" Rachelle blushed and fiddled with the edge of her skirt slightly. "We've just-always been able to. A month into our relationship, we began sending our feelings back and forth to each other. Like if one was sad, the other would comfort them. It just sort of progressed until we could read each other's thoughts. It's almost like we share the same spirit now." Marisa's face softened, but the anger was still there. "Be careful. It's sweet that you can communicate like that-lord knows I'd like to with a guy." Her eyes drifted back to the group slightly before narrowing in on her again. "But you remember what-you know-said! We're very new at this! Someone could sense you doing this, and I'd be willing to bet they might recognize your aura!" Rachelle hung her head. Sadness flowed from her clearly. Kyle's head turned to look at the two, eyes sharp. What's wrong? Nothing. Rachelle said instantly, withdrawing a little. To herself, she thought, please God, don't let him find out my feelings. "You were doing it again!" Marisa hissed, smiling brightly at Kyle. "Stop! Now! Or I'll tell Angie!" "So?" Rachelle shot back. "She's not our mom!" Marisa grimaced. "Yeah, so? You know she can use the 'look'." Rachelle shuddered. "All right! No more!" Under her breath, she added, "At least not while you're listening." "What were you two talking about?" Angie asked curiously as they came back to the group. Rachelle, blessed with a sudden insight, said, "Just talking about how cute Andrew is." "NANI?!" Emerald yelled, swatting Rachelle hard about the head. "BAKA!!! EVIL!!! DIE!!" Rachelle fell to the ground under the rain of blows. "Ah! Angie! Kyle! Someone! Help! She's nuts!" "Marisa, what are you doing?" Angie asked, leaping forward to pull her off. "Let me go!" Marisa growled, lunging forward. "I'm-going-to-kill-her-with- my-bare-hands!" Her eyes seemed almost crazy as she broke free. Rachelle took off screaming. "HELP!!! KYLE!!! MARY! ANGIE!!! LACIE!!! MAKE HER STOP!!!" Lacie calmly put out a hand as Marisa ran by and caught her by the back of her shirt collar. Marisa's feet kept moving forward, and as a result, flew up in front of her. She landed on the ground with a clunk. "Ow!" She complained, rubbing her rear and giving Lacie a scathing look. "I almost had her! Why'd you do that?!" "Because no doubt there would have been several pieces of Rachelle when you were done with her." Lacie replied calmly, helping Marisa up and brushing her off in huge swipes that almost knocked her down again. "Watch it, muscles!" Marisa snapped as she nearly fell over from the force of one wipe. "Are you trying to make me a pancake?!" "With syrup and butter and whipped cream!" Mary said, skipping by with a giggle. Malorie watched her skip after Rachelle in amusement. "I don't know whether her head's damaged, she's insane, or both." "Definitely both." Marisa muttered, sweat-dropping. "All right, Lacie, I'm clean! Stop wiping!" Lacie gave her one last sweep before releasing her arm. Marisa immediately pounced on the returning Rachelle. "DIE!!!" "Oh, knock it off, the both of you." Elisha said grouchily. "Good lord. You're acting like two year olds!" "Curse all the feathered fowl!" Mary sang, skipping back past them and flinging herself onto the ground to stare up into the sky and wave her arms and legs like an overturned beetle. Everyone blinked at her a moment. "You are completely insane, do you know that?" Elisha asked. "Thank you, oh blueberried one!" Mary responded cheerfully, making snow angels on the ground, excepting the fact there was no snow. "Has she always been like-that?" Andrew asked, hesitantly. "As long as we've known her." Angie said cheerfully. "And since we've only known her for two weeks, I'd say yes." "Only two weeks?" Lance's brow furrowed. "But-you all act like you're best friends." "We are." All the girls, even Mary, responded instantly. "And you've only known each other two weeks." Oz stated, rubbing his forehead. "Yep." Oz sighed. "No wonder you are all nuts." "I resemble that." Angie sniffed indignantly. Marisa's scalp suddenly prickled. Rachelle's face was wiped of all emotions, and her eyes focused on some far away point. "Uh-oh." Malorie whispered, seeing this. "Bad guy?" Both nodded, slowly and synchronized. Malorie sighed, then edged over to Angie to tap on her shoulder and whisper in her ear. Angie's face went weary, then calm. She sauntered slowly over to Rachelle. "We need to get the guys out of here." She murmured quietly to the both of them. "Shellie-think Kyle can help?" Rachelle nodded, then looked at Marisa pleadingly. Marisa sighed, and nodded. "All right, I guess you can." "Can what?" Malorie asked, looking from Rachelle to Marisa. Rachelle grinned, then closed her eyes. Kyle? He was there in an instant. Yes? We've got trouble. You think you could get these guys out of here? Scout trouble? What else? Kyle, please-it's urgent. Kyle sighed, then nodded and turned to the three other men with a smile on his face. "Well, guys, um-I don't really know you that well, but I'd like to. Would you-like to come play some games at the arcade with me? To the four girls' surprise, Oz said instantly. "Of course. Love to. We'll leave M&M and Co. to their own devices." Malorie growled before giving Oz the finger and turning her back on him. "You can talk psychically to Kyle?" Angie asked in awe as soon as the boys were out of sight. Rachelle blushed and nodded. "We've just sort of always been able to." "Useful." Elisha pronounced, thinking. "Romantic." Malorie and Lacie sighed. "A sure sign you're a scout." Marisa said firmly. "Don't use it often, okay, Rachelle?" "She's right." Angie agreed. "Easy pickings for evil people to hear." "Especially your favorite, right, Angie?" Elisha teased. Angie promptly smacked Elisha's head. "Shut up! I hate him! He's evil, okay!? Jeez!" "Okay, don't have a coronary!" Elisha yelped, rubbing her head. "Yeesh!" "I kill the next person who says that, got it?!" Angie yelled. "Right!" Malorie said, sweat-dropping. "Absolutely!" "Not even dreaming!" "We are SO teasing her later." Marisa muttered to Rachelle. Angie glared at them. "Shut up and let's transform!" "Yes, ma'am!" Marisa said smartly. "Emerald Star Power-Make up!!!" There was a flash of green, and Sailor Emerald stood on the pavement before them. "BAKA!" Angie screeched, hitting her head. "Moron! Transforming where everyone could see you!" "No one did, though, did they?" Emerald asked smoothly, brushing off her arms a little. "It's like having sex in public places-exhilarating!" Rachelle said happily. Everyone stared at her. "And how would you know this, Rachelle?" Lacie asked, sweat-dropping. Rachelle blinked, then blushed profusely. "Um-Garnet Star Power, Make-up!" "I'm taking that as a refusal to answer." Elisha said dryly. Sailor Garnet appeared in a flash of fire and glared at Elisha. "Hey, I'm just saying what I've heard!" "Sure, you are." Mary snickered evilly. "Excuse me?" Angie said, waving her hands. "Can we please transform somewhere a little more private?! As in, say, bushes?!" "Picky, picky." Lacie grumbled, darting into the nearest large shrubbery. There was a flash of purple, and Sailor Amethyst shot out of the top of the bush and landed before them. "Next!" "I'm next in line to use the bushes!" Mary sang, leaping in. "She is very odd." Elisha muttered. Angie nodded fervently. There was a black flash, and Obsidian exploded out of the side of the bush. "Ooh, man, I needed to do that!" She giggled. "Gross!" Elisha scolded, sighing and making her way in through prickly leaves. There were a few mutters of "ouch!" then a flash of blue. Sailor Sapphire emerged, looking rather cross. "I got poked in the eye!" She complained. "I hate this job." Malorie giggled, then jump in the bushes. Almost instantly there was a flash of yellow-orange. There was a thud as Topaz's top half fell out of the bushes and hit the ground. "My foot's stuck on a root!" She whimpered. Amethyst bent down and yanked hard on Topaz's arm. She came shooting out of the bushes, knocked into Amethyst's legs, and sent her to the ground on top of her. "Ah, geroff!" Topaz yelled from under Amethyst's foot. "Sorry." Amethyst told her, standing up and pulling Topaz off the ground. Topaz gave her a look. She grinned. Angie sighed and rubbed her head. "I'm beginning to think Lune made a mistake making us the Sailor Senshi." "Hey, we weren't chosen, remember?" Emerald shouted. "We've ALWAYS been them!" "Oh, happy destiny." Angie muttered, making her way into the bushes. There was a bright flash of gold and white light. Diamond appeared, looking disgruntled. "And forth we go to save yonder world again." "Huzzah!" Obsidian said happily, bounding away across the pavement. "We're off to slay the demons! Yeah!" "Where are they, Garnet?" Sapphire asked, looking to where she was standing. Garnet and Emerald both closed their eyes. After a moment, Emerald said, "Near here. Other side of the school, wouldn't you say, Garnet?" "No-I think-closer to the college." Garnet said firmly, opening her eyes to look at Emerald, who shrugged. "How convenient." Amethyst said dryly, pointing to the college across the street. "Let's shake a leg, Senshi." Topaz said cheerfully, leaping high into the air and over the street. "You know, this whole long jumping thing can be a major convenience for pedestrians." Obsidian mused, leaping back and forth several times across the street. "Enough frolicking, more hurting evil peoples!" Sapphire complained, calmly landing on the other side of the street and grabbing Obsidian's arm as she came down again. "Aww." Obsidian said sadly. "I want to jump." "You can't." Sapphire said severely. "No more leaping, bounding, jumping, and/or air movement." "Ever?" Obsidian said, voice quavering. "Of course not." Sapphire said crossly. "Hello?" Diamond said, pushing her way between the two. "Enough, girls. We need to see what's up." "Obsidian-baka." Sapphire muttered, crossly walking towards the college. "Right. Where's the evil pain in the neck anyway?" "Inside, I believe." Garnet said promptly, Emerald nodding behind her. "Inside?" Sapphire said, sweat-dropping. "In this?!" "Yes-and make it fast!" Garnet suddenly shouted. "Hello! Big baddie! Let's move it, people!" "You heard her!" Diamond yelled. "Move it!" The Senshi broke into a run, dodging several college students to run into the main building. "Out of the way!" Topaz yelled. "Scuse me, pardon me, coming through here, folks! Scram!" The college students did not scram. They stared in amazement at the quickly moving troop of strangely dressed girls that speedily moved through the room. "Hey!" An middle-age man shouted as they passed. "You're not supposed to be in here!" "Tough, chuckles!" Obsidian called enthusiastically. "Special business!" The man gasped at her in outrage, and reached for a small whistle around his neck. He blew hard on it and yelled. "Security! Help! A break in! Security!" "Brilliant, Obsidian.." Amethyst sighed. "Get the security of this place after us." "Heck, we can handle 'em!" Obsidian said happily, dodging a young intern. "We are the mighty Jewel Senshi!" She paused at a particularly silent classroom, opened the door, and yelled, "WE ARE THE JEWEL SENSHI!!!!" to the silent group. They all stared at her as Obsidian merrily waved and darted on, closing the door with a bang. "Who was that?" A person in the class asked. "No idea." Emerald sighed as Obsidian rejoined the group. "Nutso." "Yes!" Obsidian yelled, a smile bright on her face. "Hah! That was exhilarating! Always wanted to do something like that!" "Wacko-" Sapphire began. "HIYA!" Diamond screeched, opening the nearest door, revealing another bunch of stunned student faces. She waved energetically. "Whatcha doing?!" "Studying." One of them managed to make out. "Cool!" Diamond said, waving again. "Bye!" She shut the door hard and burst into laughter as she sped up. "SHE'S RIGHT!" She screamed, catching back up with the group. "Man! Haha! Fun!" Sapphire hesitated, then glanced at the nearest door. "Oh, go on, Sapphire!" Obsidian said in encouragement. "You know you want to!" Diamond said tantalizingly. Sapphire quickly darted to a door, glanced around nervously, and put her head in. A dozen security guards blinked back at her. Sapphire slammed it shut and took off, gasping. "Yikes! Oops!" "What?" Topaz asked as they ran on. "Um." Sapphire said hesitantly. "Hey! You're unauthorized personnel!" All the security guards had burst from the room and were coming after them. "I think I entered the security lounge." Sapphire said with a groan. "Oh, great!" Amethyst growled, running faster than ever. "Stop! Halt! I have to put you under arrest!" "And he thinks that's going to make us stop?!" Emerald grated, sprinting away. "Baka!" "Shoot!" Garnet said, stopping abruptly. "Garnet-WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Amethyst demanded. "We missed a turn!" Garnet said frantically. "Turn around, it should have been that last right-oh, no-" The security guards had seen them stop-and were now right in front of the place they had to go. "Fun time!" Obsidian chirped happily, going into a fighting stance. "Try not to hurt them, if at all possible." Diamond cautioned. "I don't want human lives on our hands." "Right." Amethyst said, cracking her knuckles. "No killing." "Or maiming!" Diamond said nervously. "Or fatally injuring! Or mortally injuring! Knock them out is all!" "Right, right." Obsidian said, waving her hand at Diamond. "Let's get them, Amethyst!" The security guards were standing to a man as Obsidian and Amethyst walked towards them, Diamond just behind, keeping a sharp eye on them, the rest of the scouts standing back slightly. A man who seemed to be the lead guard waved a gun at the black and purple haired girl. "Don't move! You are on private property! Now, you will come along quietly, and-" "Do guns hurt us?" Obsidian asked Amethyst. "I don't believe so." "That's what I thought." Obsidian grinned evilly at the security guard, who stepped backward slightly. "Hey!" He spluttered. "What are you doing-" "Super Obsidian Kick!" Obsidian yelled, making up a totally fake attack but managing to knock the gun from the guard's hand. Then she promptly kicked the side of his face, hitting his temple. The man moaned and slumped to the ground. "Super obsidian kick?" Amethyst repeated, leaping behind two men to knock their heads together, knocking both out. "What?" Obsidian said indignantly, kicking a man hard in the chest. "I thought it was creative!" Amethyst sighed as she grabbed the back of another man's neck and squeezed firmly. He dropped instantaneously. "It wasn't super. It was mediocre." "I resent that!" Obsidian snapped, flinging a man over her shoulder onto the ground. "Why?" Amethyst asked, elbowing a man in the gut and punching forward into another guard. "You think you're so good!" Obsidian growled, kicking a man hard in the shin and hitting the back of his neck. "I AM!" Amethyst yelled cheerfully, poking a man in the eyes. All dozen guards were flat on their backs by this time, moaning or unconscious. Obsidian glared at Amethyst. "Hot shot." "You didn't kill anyone, right?" Diamond asked, gingerly stepping over a knocked out guard. "Oh ye of little faith." Amethyst laughed. "No, no deaths. Now, come on! People could be drained by now!" "Hai!" Garnet exclaimed, leading the way. "Let's go!" "How much farther, Garnet?" Topaz asked as they speed onward. "Not far." Garnet responded. "Only a few-yipe!" She stopped abruptly, nearly falling over an unconscious woman lying directly in the hallway. "Fraternity party gone wrong?" Emerald wondered, peeking at the woman. Topaz bent down and sniffed near her mouth. "Doesn't smell at all like alcohol." "Energy drainage, then." Sapphire said grimly. "They've already started." "And there!" Topaz said, pointing ahead. More victims lay scattered about the hall, most looking unconscious, some looking almost dead. "Let's move it, before anyone else gets hurt." Diamond ordered. Silently the girls sped up, moving through the hall like shadows. Wordlessly, Obsidian pointed ahead to where a green haired head was bent over a young man. "Hello, Ivy." Diamond said quietly, coming towards the general. Ivy turned, dropping her victim, and beamed at them. "Oh, goody! Spike! Spike! They're here!" A familiar blond head looked up. Spike grinned. "Hello, there, Senshi." "Good morning." Obsidian said cheerfully, solemnity forgotten. "Lovely day, isn't it?" "Very!" Ivy exclaimed. "Chipper!" "Super!" "Wonderful!" "Rapturous!" "Ivy, love, shut up." Spike ordered, eyes never leaving the group. "Okay, we've gotten past the introductions." Sapphire said, pretending to be checking a small list. "Now it's time for us to do step two: fight!" "We're not here to fight today, love." Spike said softly. Emerald's eyes narrowed. "What do you want, then?" "Special mission today." Spike said, eyes locked on Diamond's face. Diamond shivered and stepped back slightly. Amethyst and Topaz moved in front of their leader. "And that would be?" Topaz asked carefully. Spike grinned, then looked at Ivy. "It's time, love. Time to use that nice power Ithengil gave you." Ivy cackled in delight, then her eyes turned and locked on Diamond's frightened face. "Come here, kitty!" She sang, pointing at Diamond. "What're they up to?" Amethyst murmured to Topaz. "What new power? Something funny's going on here." Ivy grinned wider. She suddenly shot up to the air and soared towards Diamond. The Senshi screeched and backed away, Emerald joining Topaz and Amethyst in front of Diamond. "I don't like this." She muttered to Amethyst and Topaz. "Ivy's got something up her sleeve, but what?" "Move, please!" Ivy sang, waving her hand at Emerald, Topaz, and Amethyst. A wave of energy lashed from her palm to strike them away. They hit the wooden wall with a crash, splintering the wood. Diamond gasped and tried to move, but Ivy landed before her, and quicker than she could blink, her hand had shot out to grab Diamond's front chest charm in the middle of her bow. Diamond gasped and tried to wriggle away. "Hey! Get off!" Ivy grinned maliciously. Green energy suddenly shot into Diamond's chest. She gasped in shock and alarm. There was a brilliant flash of green light that made every scout cover their eyes. Diamond let out a shriek. "My body!" Topaz looked up, and gasped. Diamond's entire body was beginning to fade away, so that only her faint outline was left. She gave Topaz one last look of terror before she vanished entirely. Her chest charm fell to the ground with a clatter. "What'd you do to her?!" Topaz cried, springing up and ramming Ivy hard with her shoulder. Ivy fell back, whimpering. Spike smiled at Topaz. "She's gone, pet." "Where?" Amethyst asked dangerously, standing also and clenching her fists. Spike grinned, showing all his teeth. "Into the future. To a world where she disappeared." 


	14. The Future of Nightmares: Where are her ...

Diamond screamed, thrashing about as black light tore her down into a dark world. She was falling so far down-what was happening?! What had Ivy done to her? Was she dying? If so, why was she going down?! She shuddered at this thought, and closed her eyes tightly. Her descent ended as she was knocked against a large, hard surface. She lay there, gasping for air, making sure no bones were broken. Then, gingerly, she sat up and looked around. "Oh my ." Broken, filthy, gray skyscrapers loomed up in front of her, large holes gashed in the sides. The paved streets were cracked and filthy. Huge rocks and gravel littered everywhere. Falling down buildings, only a few stories high, had so many holes they looked like they had been partially eaten by ants. The sky was a deep, cloudy, poisonous gray-green. A cold wind whistled down the street, ruffling her hair for a brief instant before speeding on. "Where am I?" Diamond whispered, getting to her feet and wiping off the front of her fuku. Her eyes fell on a small sign. Welcome.to.. She gasped. "No! This-this can't be home!" Blindly she stared around. It was her city, but so torn and decaying it was beyond her recognition. The buildings were greasy and broken down, and the only place that looked new was directly in the middle of the city, where the Sunset Tower gleamed a bright gold. It was twice as wide as it was formerly, and three times as large. "Jeez." Diamond stretched a little, touching her face from where it had hit the pavement and wincing. "But-this-it can't be-where's everyone? Even if I was gone for a little, the girls wouldn't let our city die like this." There was a banging from a nearby alley. Diamond looked up to see a man in ragged, scrappy clothes come out. He ignored her and moved towards the middle of the streets, picking up a banana peel that was lying there. The man inspected it, then opened his mouth wide and began to chew on it. "Hey!" Diamond protested. "What the-don't eat that!" The man glared at her. "Mine!" He hissed. "My food!" He scuttled back into his alley, glaring at her, holding the garbage like it was a piece of priceless treasure. Slowly, out of more alleys, humans began coming out. Most were middle aged and older people, very few teenagers. There were no children. All began scrounging around, looking for pieces of trash. "Um-excuse me." Diamond said to a somewhat less decrepit older woman. "What-year-is it?" The woman ignored her, but a teenaged boy on her other side, with black hair, said, "It's the year 2005." He did not look at her. "2005?" Diamond gasped. "But-have I been gone that long? What did Ivy do to me." The boy raised his head slightly to eye her suspiciously. "You an alien, or something?" "I-haven't been around." Diamond said hesitantly. The man finally straightened all the way to glare at her. "Obviously." Diamond gasped. "Y-your eyes!" "What about them?" The boy asked coldly. "They're-red." Diamond whispered. "I have a friend with eyes like that-or, I guess, I had." A strange look came into the boy's eyes. He hesitated, then bent his head to whisper in her ear, "Rachelle Roberts?" Diamond gasped and nodded. The boy stepped back and eyed her up and down, awe in his eyes. "You're the Lost Scout, aren't you?" "I'm Sailor Diamond, if that's what you mean." Diamond said uncertainly. The boy roughly grabbed her arm and began to drag her into the nearest alley. "Follow me. I know someone who wants to see you." "What?!" Diamond protested, grabbing his arm. "Who?! What are you doing with me?!" "Come on." The boy said, glancing over his shoulder before lifting up an iron grate in the ground. "Get in!" "Gross." Diamond complained, doing as told. She leapt down and landed in darkness-and on something smooshy. "Ew!" The boy jumped after her and banged the lid close. "Come on!" He raced through the darkness, her in tow. Dimly, Diamond realized that she could hear muttering all around her, and very close by. Faint lights glimmered overhead, showing bundles of humans keeping close and conversing quietly. All looked at her as she passed, and the murmurs grew louder. The boy took her down several tunnels before stopping in a huge, high ceiling one. Only a few humans lined the walls in this one, and the light was bright. A high-backed chair sat in the middle of this room, and someone with long white hair was sitting in it. The boy bowed to the chair. "Grandmother, I bring someone you would like to meet." The white-haired woman raised her head. Her face was withered and creased, but she had obviously been beautiful in her youth, for all her small size. The crone stood and made her way over, looking at Diamond, a small smile on her face. "I wondered when I'd see you here, Diamond." She said in a creaky tone. "Um-excuse me, ma'am." Diamond said nervously. "But-have we met?" The woman gave a pretty laugh, quite unsuited to her age, before she fixed Diamond with a piercing stare. A stare with eyes that were a deep scarlet. Diamond gasped, and grasped the old woman's arm to see the eyes more clearly. "No way-I mean, no way." The woman laughed again, a laugh Diamond now recognized. "Garnet?" Sailor Diamond asked in a whisper. "Garnet?" The woman repeated. "No, no. I'm no longer Sailor Garnet, Angie. I'm Rachelle Roberts, now. Rubian took my charm away." She coughed a little and returned to her chair. "But-" Diamond knelt by her side. "How are you so old? It's only-what did he say, 2005?" "Rubian's drained me, Angie." Rachelle said in a dry voice. "Like she drained all of our generations, and the ones before us. All our parents are dead. I'm one of the last of our generation. And my children, and my grandchildren-their fates are the same, I'm afraid. We can't hide from the generals." "You have-children?" Diamond glanced at the tall boy behind her. Rachelle laughed. "He's my grandchild, dear! My children," she gestured towards the walls, "are all middle aged." "This is so horrible." Diamond whispered, squeezing her friend's wizened hand. "You're only-what, seventeen? And you're an old woman." Rachelle laughed. "My life is longer than my children's and my grandchildren's, dear! Rubian begins draining immediately. As the children grow older, their brains grow stronger also. Clever trick, eh? And Tom, here-" She pointed at Diamond's escort. "He's only two! His life will be short. As are all lives, now. We are born, we feed Rubian, we reproduce, we die. Lovely cycle, isn't it? Rubian can feed on us forever." "Who-um-who did you make-them with?" Diamond asked uncomfortably. A true smile lit up Rachelle's face. "My dear Kyle. We were allowed the small shred of dignity to choose our own mates." She sighed a little. "Is he..?" Diamond asked quietly. "He's gone to a place I dream about now, Angie." Rachelle said, tears in her eyes. "My poor Kyle." "And where are the others?" Diamond demanded urgently. "Obsidian and Topaz, Emerald, Amethyst, Sapphire, Tuxedo Onyx?! What happened to them? And Lune and Demetri!" Something flickered in Rachelle's eyes. "Lune and Demetri are dead, for starters. Rubian sought them out and killed them ruthlessly. As for everyone else-" The flicker burned again. "They're-dead also. Drained completely." Her voice was monotone. Diamond blinked back tears. "Everyone? God." Rachelle laughed wearily. "They were some of the first to go, Angie! Rubian wanted to make sure they were properly drained." "And yet you're here." Diamond said, clutching the old woman. Rachelle sighed. "I escaped, Diamond. By purest chance." She stood up, leaning on a walking stick that was by her side. Diamond stayed where she was, fighting back tears. "God." "So." Rachelle said, kicking her slightly. "What're you going to do now?" Diamond looked up, eyes burning. "I'm going to go and see Rubian. I want to go down fighting." Rachelle laughed. "That's our fearless leader! Come on, I'll show you out." She pointed to a ladder in the wall. "Guests first." Diamond started up the ladder, not noticing the look that passed from Rachelle to Tom. Diamond pushed open the top covering the hole and sprang up back onto the street, offering Rachelle a hand. Rachelle popped out herself and grinned at Diamond. "Just cause you're a young whippersnapper doesn't mean an old coot like myself can't crawl out of a hole all right!" She said in a fake old-crone voice, cackling evilly. Diamond grinned, and hugged her friend gently, willing her tears not to show. Rachelle embraced her back, then released her and pushed her away. "Go on, now. You have a date with an evil queen." Diamond nodded and turned away, walking away down the street. Rachelle watched her for a moment before she looked down at a small watch on her hand. "5.4.3.2." Diamond was halfway down the street before there was a groan from behind her. She turned to see Rachelle's body lying on the pavement, a spear through her heart, and a bunch of young men standing over her, Tom included. She ran back towards them, shock and pain rising in her heart. "Get away!" She cried, hitting at the men, who drew back in surprise. She knelt by Rachelle and cradled her head in her lap. "Rachelle! Shellie! Can you hear me!" No response. Rachelle's face was slack and peaceful. Sobbing, Diamond raised her hand. "I'll heal you! I-I can heal you-" "No." Rachelle said, creaky voice firm. "Diamond-I want this. I'm ready to go to my Kyle." Her eyes opened one last time to wink at her friend's miserable face, then those fiery eyes closed, clouding over. Rachelle exhaled, and was gone. Diamond screamed her pain and rage, standing and glaring at the men who had taken her last friend away. Tom raised his hands. "Diamond-Angie-please, wait! Grandmother asked us to do this! She's been wanting to for a while, but she wanted to see if you would come back before she had to die! She didn't want to go by Rubian, Diamond! You know she wouldn't!" Diamond stopped advancing on them. Tears streamed down her face, but her fist lowered. "You're right." She said softly, kneeling back by her friend and kissing her forehead. "You're right." * * * "What do you mean, a future without her?!" Garnet demanded, sparks flying from her eyes. "A future where you rule supreme?!" "That's right!" Spike cackled, very pleased with himself. Hatred was coursing through Garnet's small body like poison. "You bring her back." She said in a dangerous low tone. "You bring our leader back." "Can't and won't." Spike said firmly, glaring back at Garnet. "I understand won't-why can't?" Topaz asked, voice ice. Spike waved the small charm that had come from Diamond's bow in the air. "I can't, because this is her transforming charm, right?" "One of them." Emerald said, nodding. "Well." Spike drawled, straightening his shoulders proudly. "That means the one she has in the future is false. She breaks that, she's part way home." "And the other part?" Garnet inquired, as if it didn't matter too much. Spike smiled maliciously. "Now, if I told you that, you could get the witch home, couldn't you? But she's not coming back. Ithengil's made sure of that." "Well." Sapphire said, eyes like coals. "That just means we're going to have to beat it out of you." Spike smiled cruelly, then, with a yell, flung an attack down on the girls. Emerald glared at Spike as black bolts rained down. "Oh, no, you don't. Just because one of us is gone doesn't mean we're any weaker!" Her eyes blazed with a green light. She raised a hand to point at the two and shouted, "IVY WALL FORM!!!!" A torrent of green plants swarmed up from the floor, forming a dome over the tops of the scouts' heads. The blows stopped, though flashes of light could be seen through the vines. Amethyst stood and gingerly touched the vines. "Whoa.Emerald, you did a defensive attack." Emerald nodded grimly. She patted the vines and whispered something to them. The plants squirmed a little, enlarging themselves, thickening and blocking out all crevices. She turned back to them, and Topaz, who was nearest, scooted back slightly. Emerald's eyes were a blazing, glowing green, and all over she was illuminated slightly. "Uh-oh." Obsidian whispered. "Ashanti mon aborro." Emerald said calmly, looking at them. "Dommet kiel ammo dedutchtoe." "That last part was 'have no fear'." Amethyst muttered. "But what was the rest of that?" "It meant our power is growing." Garnet said in a strange tone of voice. "And she's right." "So.now what?" Sapphire asked, rubbing her head and pointing to where the vine were starting to break. "This isn't going to last forever. How do we get our leader back?" Garnet was glaring openly at the rupturing vines, a small glow of light forming just above her heart. "We wait, and then we attack." * * * Diamond walked down the rapidly darkening streets, eyes dry and face blank. Her last friend was gone, but gone from this place was more of a blessing than anything. She noticed idly that the streets were almost completely devoid of human life again. Only a few people still walked around, muttering to each other, most of them looking like teenagers. A small part of her, deep inside, was wailing-that seemed unreal. But the rest of the world was extra clear and sharp. She would get Rachelle back. She would get all of her friends back. She would find a way back to the past-demand it of Rubian, trick her, something. She would get to her own time. She would not let this horrible future happen. Two men walking the opposite direction from her bumped into her. "Watch it!" Diamond snapped, glaring slightly at the teenagers. They immediately whirled together to frown at her. "Girl, who do you think you are?!" One of them with a red bandanna snapped. "I'm a walking pedestrian that you bumped into!" Diamond returned, anger deep in her chest. "Hah!" The other one, wearing a girl's daisy necklace, snorted. "Wrong answer. You're nobody." "And you are?" Diamond retorted. "Exactly!" Bandanna-Boy said proudly. "We are some of Rubian's special human servants, hand-selected from the volunteers." Diamond could not believe her ears. "You sold out your race, your people, to that dog?!" She demanded. "You watch how you talk about our lady!" Necklace-boy said, shaking a fist at her. "Fine, you transvestite." Diamond snorted, turning away. The boy had whirled her around and punched her in the stomach before she could block him. She gasped for air, but straightened and kicked him hard in the neck. The man stumbled back, puffing for breath, while his hankie wearing buddy moved forward. Diamond faced him off, glaring hatefully at him. "What's all this about?!" A male voice demanded from behind her. "You two louses-Patrick and Greg, right? Beat it!" The two immediately sent up protests. "But, sir-this whelp-" "She's only a human and she thinks she's all that, that she can diss our Lady-" The owner of the voice chuckled grimly. "I said scram, and let's see who the brave human is-" Diamond felt a hand on her shoulder, turning her irresistibly around. She had recognized the voice immediately, but she almost couldn't believe it until she looked up into those stormy eyes. Damon stared at Diamond, eyes nearly popping out of his head. She smiled a little. "Hey." Damon gaped, gasping for a mouthful of air. He looked at the men. "Go." "But, sir!" "GO!!!!" Damon roared, moving towards them. The boys took off, fleeing down the street as fast as their legs could take them. Damon turned around to find a pair of arms encircling his chest to give him a quick hug. Diamond quickly backed away, but smiled at him, tears in her eyes. "God. A familiar face, even if it is an evil one. A welcome treat." She let out a small laugh as tears that had been held back since she had buried her dead friend broke free in a huge flood. Damon gently wiped her cheeks, all the while gazing at her. He gave her the slightest hug. "It's good to see you again, Diamond. You're still the best opponent I've ever had." Diamond nodded, darkness coming into her eyes. "Garnet's dead." Damon whistled. "The fish that got away." He saw the look in Diamond's eyes and softened. "I'm sorry, Diamond. I'm sorry." "And I suppose you killed the rest of my friends!" Diamond said, temper and anger flaring up suddenly. She glared at Damon. "Were you there, when they died?! Did you laugh!? Did you cheer?!" Damon blinked at her. "You think-Garnet told you your friends were dead?" Diamond nodded coldly. "She told me a lot." Damon shook his head, the strange look she had seen in Garnet's eyes coming into his. "Jeez.where are you going? What are you planning to do?" Diamond glared at him. "What do you think I'm going to do?! I'm going to go to Rubian and take my revenge out on that-that witch! And then I'm going to find a way to my real time, so I can prevent this from happening!" She turned away and began walking down the street again. Damon grabbed at her hand, she tried to shake him off, glowering back. "What?!" Damon shook his head. "Don't go to Rubian." "What?" Diamond asked, eyeing him angrily and mistrustfully. "Why?" "Just-don't." Damon sighed. "There are-things there-that might hurt you." "I can handle seeing my friends' bodies up on display, thank you." Diamond retorted, shaking him off and running as fast as she could down the street. Damon did not follow, but stayed where he was, a mixture of emotions he had not felt in years swirling around in the pit of his stomach. Willing herself not to cry, Diamond finally collapsed against the edge of a building, gasping a little. Seeing Damon.even if he had helped kill her friends.it was wonderful.jeez. "Miss?" Two armed men were staring at her seriously. Diamond looked at them, eyes sharp. "What?!" She snapped. "You're out after curfew." One man said, grabbing her arm in a surprisingly firm grip. "I think you'd better come along with us." Diamond wrenched her arm from his grasp and glared at him. "Where are you taking me?" "To the Lady's headquarters." The man said in some surprise. "You're violating rules." "Big whoop." Diamond said. Okay, I do want to go to Rubian's place, but if I go too willingly. The two men looked shocked. They shifted nervously. "Um, miss." The other said. "You'll just get your energy drained a little. That's all, really." "Bullshit." Diamond growled. "Completely. Rubian's nothing but a lying whelp." The men reeled back as if struck. "Wh-what did you say?!" They gasped instantaneously. "Bull-" Diamond began. "No, no!" One waved his hand. "You-you said her name!" "Rubian?" Diamond asked, puzzled. The men clapped their hands to their mouths, staring horrified at Diamond. "Rubian!" She said louder. "Rubian, Rubian, Rubian, RUBIAN!!!" One man reached into his pocket to bring out something with a bright red button. He pressed it, muttering to his cohort, "She's mad!" "What's the matter?!" Diamond said scathingly. "Can't hear the villain's name? The person who you sold out to?! Huh?!" The men attempted to grab her arms to hold her down, but Diamond was gone. Her rage was boiling up in her, and it was coming out in pure power and strength. Derisively she shook them off, flinging them into the alley walls. But now an alarm had been raised. Men came swarming at her, something carrying crowbars, all looking grimly confident. A few people who had also apparently been breaking curfew watched bemusedly. Heads began poking out of buildings. "Nothing to worry about, people!" One man carrying a megaphone shouted. "Just another crazy renegade." "I'll show you crazy renegade!" Diamond growled, coming out of the alley and fiercely glaring at the crowd. All reserve about injuring humans was gone. These weren't humans. They had sold out their race. They were no better than the generals. A man moved towards her, beefy face looking pompous. She had slammed the heel of her palm into his chin, breaking his jawbone before he could move. She flung herself into the crowd, roaring her fury to the sky. Men went flying as she moved through the throng like a whirlwind, destroying all that was in her path. "Stop her!" Someone yelled as she moved towards him. "She's nuts-uunh!" Diamond rammed her fist into his stomach and continued on. A faint cheer was coming now from some of the houses. Diamond looked up, and through bloodlust-hazed eyes she saw people waving and cheering. A grin broke out on her face. Slowly, her rage began receding. She calmly looked at the men right in front of her, who were eyeing her in terror. "You are going to take me to Rubian, now. Or I shall pop all your heads like melons." The men nodded, faces white. They quickly snapped handcuffs on her-Diamond watched in amusement, these things were so old that a child could have broken them. Then they led her away down the street, all men staying in a close group but leaving a three-foot radius around her. Diamond didn't care. Her eyes were focused on the point they were moving towards. The Sunset Tower.. 


	15. Rubian's Evil: The Future's Hidden Truth

Spike was trying to think of the best spot to break through the plant shield when it evaporated into nothing. Emerald fell to the ground, tired and drained, face triumphant. She grinned at Spike. "Ooh, you're in trouble." Garnet was standing in front of all the scouts, face livid with hatred and anger. Her crimson eyes blazed fire. Spike began to launch an attack, but before he could even open his mouth, Garnet cried out, "PSYCHIC MIRAGE!!" Spike blinked. Garnet was.disappearing.a hazy image was coming up in her place.long yellow hair, swirled up into two buns..wings.bright blue eyes.. The Senshi stared at Spike as he stared at Garnet in horror, falling to the ground. Ivy was wailing in-fright?! Terror, almost?! Spike's dry mouth managed to choke out, "S-Sailor Moon.?" "Is he okay?" Obsidian asked, watching Spike stare at Garnet. "Mi ama esuko dondegai." Garnet said, not turning around. She was glowing a bright red now. With a deep breath, she murmured, "I-I have done my defensive attack." "You all right, Garnet?" Sapphire whispered, standing behind her friend. Garnet shuddered, then stood straighter, glow getting brighter than ever. "Hai." "That's yes in Japanese." Obsidian commented, looking at Garnet interestedly. "We're moving around the globe, here." Garnet began to move forward, past Spike, who slumped to the ground, terror evident still on his face. "My defensive attack," Garnet said slowly, and in a strange, musical tone, "is a mirage. They see what they fear most. Sailor Moon." "Wow." Amethyst murmured, waving her hand energetically in front of Spike's unseeing eyes. "That's pretty useful." Garnet did not reply. She merely came up to Ivy, who was whimpering and rocking back and forth. She looked at her for a moment before placing her hand on Ivy's forehead. A gush of black light flowed out of Ivy's head. She was screaming, flailing, unable to break away from Garnet's cold grasp. The black light began flowing up into Garnet's arm before she glared at it and forced it into the air. The moment it was released from human form, the light vanished. Garnet kept her hand situated on Ivy's head until all the light was gone. Ivy fell back with a cry, sobbing and wailing. Garnet looked at her coldly. Then, with a faint moan, she fell backwards and hit the ground, too weary to even be knocked out. Topaz carefully helped her sit up. "What'd you do?" Garnet gasped for air, but smiled grimly. "I took away that power-the power Ivy had to put Diamond into the future. I-I think that's our half of bringing her back. Now all we have to do is-" Her eyes rolled back into her head and she slumped, down for the count. "Wait." Sapphire finished, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "How'd she do that? That was seriously incredible." "All of us are getting stronger." Emerald said softly, leaning on Amethyst for support. "We're not the weak little beginners we once were. We're all becoming warriors, now. We're the Sailor Senshi." Obsidian laughed, completely breaking the mystical mood. "Uh, hello? Weren't we always?" "Now all we have to do is hope that Diamond can figure her way back." Topaz said with a sigh. "And let's just hope she can figure it out before she gets herself killed." * * * Diamond eyed the cylindrical elevator with some curiosity. She and two other men, both with heavy artillery, had been ascending for ten whole minutes. Weren't they ever going to reach the top? The top. She shuddered slightly. Okay, so she was going into immense danger. And it was more than likely she would die immediately. So what. Maybe if she died here, she could get home. The elevator doors opened with a whoosh. The two men silently dragged Diamond out. She noted, with a level of increasing foreboding, the black marble floor and large black pillars. Eerie statues were formed here and there. A thick mist lay on the floor in patches, like small clouds. Diamond watched these interestedly as the men led her roughly forward. She looked up finally to see an elevated dais, on which was a dark black throne, surrounded by the various generals. She half-smiled as she looked at each face, none seeing her, all looking bored. Spike, Jedin, Uther, Ivy, Katrina, Xavier, Damon. Her eyes focused on the woman sitting on the black throne. Her face was hidden in shadow, but bright red hair fell in long waves to her feet. A slinky, revealing dress clung to her body. Pale hands clasped the sides of the throne, blood red nails tapping impatiently. "Lady," One of the men began. "We bring to you a renegade, who was out after curfew and injured many of your loyal servants when she resisted our insistence she come with us." Diamond serenely looked up at the dark throne. "Hello, Rubian." She said calmly. The generals' mutters ceased abruptly. All heads turned towards her. Diamond smiled grimly. "Yes, and hello to you lot, too. I suppose it's been three years, though I can't remember it." Damon's face was very white. He shook his head at her and mouthed, "I told you to stay away!" Diamond ignored him. Her eyes were fastened on the red-haried woman. Rubian's fingers snapped. "Leave us." She said to the guards in a low, bell-like voice. The guards snapped their heels together and nodded, exiting quickly. Rubian seemed to be eyeing Diamond with interest, though she couldn't see her face or eyes. "So, the Lost Senshi rejoins us at last." She said finally. "How lovely. I expected you would, someday, due to Ithengil's plan." She gestured to a small, yellowish man beside her with a long staff, who cackled and leered at Diamond. "And Ivy's work." Diamond replied, jerking her hands apart and snapping the handcuffs. All the generals stiffened at the sound. Jedin licked his lips and gazed hungrily at her, whining a little. "Mistress, it's been so long since we've tasted Senshi flesh-" "I did not give you permission to speak, Jedin." Rubian said calmly, moving her head to look at him. Jedin was silenced abruptly, though he glared at Diamond still. "Bad dog." Diamond scolded, shaking her finger at him. Inwardly, she was screaming with terror. Rubian-murderer-she was deathly afraid of that red- haired woman. There was such an incredible aura of death and evilness about her that inside herself she cried fearfully, wanting to run far away. But the deaths of her friends and the rage that they brought was in her also. So she stayed silent, glaring first at Jedin and then at Rubian. "Well?!" She demanded finally. "Let the battle begin, already!" Rubian laughed a little. "As you wish, Diamond. But are you sure you want to?" A low laugh echoed through her generals, who settled back like they were at a sporting event. Damon remained tense, eyes filled with foreboding, willing her to go away. "Bring it on." Diamond said firmly, bending her knees and clenching her fists. Rubian clapped her hands, one, twice, three times. "So be it. Your first opponents." She gestured in front of her. Five shadows had appeared before Rubian, pulsating in the air. They grew larger and larger, until they were the size of humans. In a black flash, the shadows vanished from the things' faces. Features became clear and bright, and suits clearly formed. Diamond gasped in delight and joy, tears coming to her eyes. "GUYS!!!" Obsidian, Topaz, Amethyst, Emerald, and Sapphire looked down coldly at her, eyes revealing nothing. Diamond ran up to Topaz and hugged her fiercely. "I'm so sorry I left you guys, honestly I didn't mean it-oh, man, I thought you were dead!" Tears streamed from her eyes as she grasped Topaz by the shoulders to look in her eyes. SMACK!! Diamond fell back to the ground, flung by the force of Topaz's blow. Her eyes opened wide in shock and betrayal as a thin stream of blood fell from her mouth. "Topaz-chan..." She whispered, eyes full of tears. "Why? Why would you hurt me?" A low laugh echoed around the room, and not all of it was from the generals. Her friends-her beautiful, wonderful, alive friends-laughed also. Laughed at her pain. Topaz looked Diamond in the eye, still laughing. A jolt ran through Diamond's body as she realized that Topaz's eyes-once that pretty amber shade-were now black, and empty. Like holes. So. This was what Rachelle and Damon had hid from her. Her friends were truly gone. They had deserted her side. They were evil. Tears streamed down her face as this realization hit. She crumpled into the ground, tears gently falling down her face. "What's the matter, Sailor Diamond?" Rubian taunted. "Can't fight your little friends? They're mine, now. All mine. I suppose you think that maybe a part of them is still in there? Oh, how very wrong you are, indeed!" Diamond wiped her eyes, and stood, glaring not at Rubian but at the creatures laughing at her. The bodies that had once held the souls of her friends. They stopped laughing to glare at her with blank eyes. "Maybe you were once my friends." Diamond said slowly and clearly. "But no longer. I will fight you guys in fair one-on-one combat. Who's first?" The evil Senshi leered at each other before Topaz stepped down from the elevated platform to smirk at Diamond, eyes still so horribly dark. Diamond bit back a sob as she went into a fighter's stance and glared at Topaz. "Let's get this over with." "Ready?" Rubian asked, a snicker in her voice. "Begin!" Topaz immediately launched herself at Diamond, grabbing at her throat. Diamond backed off, wishing with all her might that Topaz might miraculously wake up and recognize her. A blow to her temple blew away this hope, and with an angry growl, Diamond's knee rooted itself in Topaz's gut. Topaz did not grunt or gasp, just shoved Diamond away and continued fighting. That was what hit it home. Topaz always had some sort of reaction to being injured. Coldly, Diamond grabbed this fake Topaz by the hair and yanked her to the ground. Topaz's head hit with a crack. She let out a small gasp, but reached up to grab Diamond's wrist and jerked her down to the floor hard. Diamond yelped. Roughly, she rolled on top of Topaz and held her arms at her sides with her knees. Topaz savagely struggled, biting at Diamond's knees. "Witch." Diamond said savagely, aiming her hands at Topaz's heart. "Golden Halo Attack!!!" Just before the attack hit Topaz, the look in her eyes changed. The darkness suddenly melted to a yellow gold. Diamond stared at her eyes, horror dawning on her face as the attack penetrated Topaz's heart. She scrambled off her and knelt by her, praying what she had seen wasn't true. Topaz's amber eyes looking up at Diamond, a smile on her dying face. "Hiya, Ange." Diamond choked on tears. "Topaz! Oh my God, Topaz!" Topaz reached out to grasp her hand. "Thank you, Diamond. I'm free again. I'm free of that prison." She smiled again, eyes clouding over. "Now, try to find a way home, eh? So we can rewrite this future." She breathed deeply, then laid her head back on the ground. Her body began to vanish into yellow and orange sparkles that floated up and away into the night sky. Diamond stared at the ground, eyes prickling with tears, heart beginning to split at the edges. "Topaz." Two friends gone.four left..Diamond turned tear-filled eyes on her comrades, then looked at Rubian, who smiled at her. So, that was her plan. Break her before she killed them all. Well, she wasn't going to fall. She would kill all of her best friends right here and right now. She straightened and glared at the group. "Next." Sapphire sidled forward, smiling evilly at Diamond. She said nothing, just went into a fighter's stance. Diamond wiped away a tear as she looked at her lost friend. Then she slowly moved into her own stance. "Ready." Rubian said, voice a triumphant cackle. "Begin!" Sapphire did not move first, this time. She began circling around. Diamond mimicked her movements. The two circled each other, watching the other's movements carefully. Diamond finally charged Sapphire with a yell. Sapphire calmly moved to the right, sticking out her foot. Diamond tripped over it and landed on her face. Sapphire laughed, then said, in a cold, jeering tone, "You always were a big klutz, Di-mond." Diamond stood, spitting out blood from where her lip had split. She angrily turned to face Sapphire to see her smirking at her. Without a word, she charged again. Sapphire moved to the side, but Diamond moved with her, hitting her in the breastbone with her shoulder. "Icy Darkness Blast!" Sapphire yelled, spinning away and aiming at Diamond. A horrible jet of black ice hit Diamond. She was freezing all over-outside in winter with just a bikini-stuck in a freezer-Antarctica-she shivered and said, through chattering teeth, "G-golden-Halo-At-ttack!" The light from her attack both thawed her out and made Sapphire dodge away as it flew past her. She smiled cruelly at Diamond. "Pathetic. Can't you do better?" Diamond winced, then pulled back with her hand. The halo stopped turning, reversed direction, and flew at Sapphire's back. Sapphire let out a cry as the attack came through the other side of her, breaking through the blue bow. Her eyes flashed blue as she fell to the ground. Diamond knelt by her, already knowing what was coming. "Hey, Elisha." She whispered, squeezing her hand. Sapphire smiled up at her, blood gushing from her chest. "Hello, there, Diamond." She coughed, spitting out blood. Diamond carefully cleaned it from her lips, then gazed sorrowfully down. "I'm so sorry-" "Never mind!" Sapphire whispered, impatience slightly on her breath. "It's your charm, Angie. One of them-god, I can't remember-one of your charms- enchanted-keeping you here-" She swore and looked cross. "Darn it! I can't remember!" Diamond grinned at this familiar temper even as tears sprung to her face. Sapphire sighed, then smiled at Diamond, eyes as blue as the sea being hidden under closing eyelids. Sapphire's body exploded into many shades of blue light that swam around Diamond for a moment in comfort before disappearing up into the heavens. Diamond let tears swarm down her cheeks as she stroked the ground where Sapphire had lain. "Next." She said finally, looking up with dry eyes Emerald stepped forward, black eyes boring into Diamond's. She bit back a whimper as she remember how pretty Marisa's eyes had always been. Sea- green, with flecks of forest.But this Emerald was not her friend. She moaned a little before going into a fighting stance. Emerald did not move. She remained upright, looking at Diamond. "Ready?" Rubian's hateful voice came. Diamond ground her teeth. "Begin!" An incredible psychic force hit Diamond like a gale. Emerald was glowing black, staring at her with those terrible eyes. "Glad Garnet's not evil." Diamond muttering, trying to rearrange her mind back into order. "Otherwise I'd be brain-fried." Emerald did not laugh, or even register that she had heard. She continued to blast her mind with wave after wave. Diamond closed her eyes, screaming inside her head, nerves and thoughts being torn apart. Too much for you, Sailor Diamond? Emerald asked inside her head. Diamond ground her teeth. You wish. Emerald only smiled, a smug, evil smirk. Anger boiled in Diamond's heart. Concentrating, she began to attempt to force back the power coming at her. Emerald's grin turned to shock as a line, half gold, half black and green, formed between them. Diamond pushed with all her might in her mind, causing the gold line to move forward, inch by inch. Emerald forced it back, pushing also. Diamond struggled, wincing, trying to hold her place- Emerald let out a chilling cry as Diamond's gold line suddenly gained several feet. And-for a tiny instant-her eyes flashed green. Diamond stared, wondering what was happening. "Get..out..!" Emerald said in a low, slurring voice, green eyes flashing. ".get.out.of.me!!!" "Stop it, Emerald!" Emerald snapped again, eyes going black. "You no longer exist! Go back into the corners of our mind!" "My..mind!" Emerald slurred again, eyes flying back to green. ".I.will.be.free.of.you.yet! By.death.if.need.be." Her eyes looked across to Diamond, conveying every sense of imprisonment. Slowly, Diamond began to make her way forward. "You can't win!" The other Emerald shrieked. "I have control!" "It's..my.body!!! I.know.it.better..than.you.do!" Emerald shot back in anger. "I..always .resisted..you..you..slimy..evil.thing!" Diamond crept closer, praying the other half of Emerald wouldn't notice what she was doing. It seemed she didn't, for she shrieked, "You gave in like all the others did!" "I.was.last.if.you'll.remember!" The real Emerald snapped. She turned her eyes to look at Diamond. A small smile flew across her face. Please, Diamond. I want to go to Topaz and Sapphire. Diamond raised her hand, placing it close to Emerald's stomach. Evil Emerald finally saw her. She yelled, "You stay away!" and tried to move back, but her feet weren't cooperating. Evil Emerald flailed about, yanking at her feet. "Come off it, Emerald! If I die, you'll die!" "Good!" The better Emerald cried. "Diamond, now!" "Golden Halo Attack!" Diamond yelled, aiming for Emerald's stomach. Her whole body gave a great shake as the halo went into her. The blackness completely vanished from her eyes, and Emerald lifted her arms triumphantly even as her life's blood rushed out of her. "Free! I'm free!" She wrapped her arms around Diamond's neck and squeezed as she began to sink to the ground. "You saved me! You saved me!" She sat back on the ground as Diamond lowered herself also, supporting Emerald's shoulders. "It's so good to see you!" She sobbed, hugging Diamond tightly. "Oh, it's so good." She coughed a little, and smiled blearily. "Even if I am dying, I guess. I was the last to give in to Rubian's influence, Dimes. Aren't you proud?" "Very." Diamond whispered, lying her friend back on the ground, tears wet on her cheeks. Emerald beamed up at her. "I fought it, didn't I? Nearly beat it! Hah to all evil!" Her eyes closed but her mouth kept working. "Go back to our time, eh, Dimes? Brave as I was, I'd rather not have worked for Rubian." Her mouth twitched and stopped moving as her arms that had been so tight on Diamond's neck relaxed and fell to the floor. Even in death, Emerald smiled. Her body gently exploded into green illumination that wove up to the ceiling, out of a window, and gone. Diamond sighed and looked at the two remaining Senshi. "Next." Amethyst strutted forward, flexing her muscles and cracking her knuckles. Diamond winced at the familiarity of this mood that Amethyst had done so many times going into battle. Amethyst moved into a strong fighting stance as Diamond did also, tears already falling. "Ready?" Rubian asked brightly. Diamond found herself longing to tear her throat out and kick that red-haired witch across the room. "Begin!" Amethyst launched herself at Diamond like Topaz had done. Diamond dodged, but Amethyst spun and nailed her to the side of the head with a kick. Diamond hit the floor hard, head first. She groaned and began to kneel, but another kick nailed her stomach, causing her to curl up. A different blow hit her unprotected head. She jerked backward, blood spewing from her already bleeding mouth. She feebly turned away from Amethyst, only to receive a strike on her spine that made her arch in pain. Amethyst chuckled a little, as did all the generals, watching Diamond lie there, shaking in pain. Diamond narrowed her eyes, hearing them laugh. She leapt up into a crouch and swung her leg, knocking Amethyst off her feet. Diamond then stood up all the way, glaring at her purple-headed opponent. "You always were the best fighter, Amethyst." Amethyst growled and leapt up, hitting Diamond with both her feet. She fell back with the girl's weight on top of her, hitting the floor hard. Amethyst was on her in an instant, pounding her stomach and face. Diamond wriggled under her, trying to avoid to rain of blows, gasping a little. Amethyst grimly kept on, beating her body black and blue. Diamond yelped as one particularly hard punch landed in her solar plexus. She reached up and grabbed Amethyst's shoulders, shoving her off and then scooting back slightly. Amethyst grabbed her foot quickly and yanked her back, twisting the foot as she came. Diamond cried out as she felt her ankle bend. Something snapped in her lower leg. Fiercely she let a punch fly at Amethyst's face, poking two fingers in her eyes. As Amethyst spluttered and rubbed her eyes, Diamond moved back to examine her injury. Not broken, but sprained, assuredly. And there was no time to heal now. Slowly, unsteadily, she got to her feet, testing her weight on the injured foot and wincing. Amethyst's black eyes glared up at her, watering slightly. She leapt up and tackled Diamond, knocking them both down. Diamond began scratching at her face, yanking on purple hair. Amethyst was punching her again in the stomach, but now Diamond was kneeing her gut blow for blow. The two clawed at each other like madmen, yanking hair and biting and punching. Diamond sunk her teeth into Amethyst's shoulder and hung grimly on as Amethyst scratched up the back of her neck. "Owph!" Diamond muttered through her mouthful of Amethyst's skin and muscle. She let go to breath and punched backwards, hitting Amethyst's nose. Amethyst stopped clawing and the two flung themselves away from each other, licking wounds and eyeing their opponent angrily. "Evil." Amethyst spat. "Look who's talking!" Diamond retorted. Someone was clapping. Diamond didn't turn to see, but it sounded like it was Jedin or Spike. She hated this. This was just some sort of sport for these creeps. Dueling Senshi. Amethyst leapt at her again. Diamond didn't move to block or get away. She just let Amethyst hit her and roll her around on the floor, pounding her head and chest again. Amethyst looked down at her, black eyes suspicious. "Why won't you fight?" "I'm tired." Diamond responded, stretching out on the floor. "Give me a moment and I'll be back on my feet again." "I'll kill you first!" Amethyst swore, raising her hand to do an attack. "Everlasting Love Purify." Diamond said calmly. Golden light shot up around her in a haze. She felt her ankle get jolted back into place and her bruises and scrapes melt away in one brilliant flash of pain. She kicked Amethyst away from her and stood, refreshed and ready. "Okay. Now we can fight." Amethyst stood, staring at her, bleeding from her shoulder and sides. "N- not fair!" She gasped. "Life's not fair, honey." Diamond said peacefully. Then she flew at Amethyst, hitting her hard in the stomach with a punch. Amethyst fought back, but her amazement at Diamond's apparent foul play was making most of her blows weaker. Whereas Diamond, with her injuries healed, attacked with a zeal. Amethyst finally fell backwards, bleeding from many places, lying on the ground. Diamond stood over her, eyeing her coldly. "This is ending." She growled, looking down at Amethyst's form. "But now. Golden Halo Attack!" Amethyst screamed her rage and defiance as the halo flew into her heart. The blackness faded from her eyes as they returned to their familiar purple hue. She grinned at Diamond wearily. "Hey, there, fearless leader." "Hey, Lacie." Diamond replied, kneeling by her friend and stroking some of her wounds. "I-I'm sorry I had to hurt you so bad." Amethyst waved her hand at Diamond. "Nah, I've felt worse." She claimed, as blood pooled on the ground around her and her breath came in ragged gasps. "You liar." Diamond said with a small smile. Amethyst grinned again before lying back and closing her eyes. Her body faded into purple and pink lights that swirled up, but instead of going towards the ceiling, moved towards the generals. It paused before Jedin and seemed to slap his face, jerking him from side to side. Diamond could have sworn she heard Amethyst's laugh as the purple lights moved up and away into the sky. Diamond blinked back tears, then looked at the generals. "Next." Rubian clapped her hands as Obsidian made her way down from where she was to stand before Diamond, not smiling or even moving. "Obsidian here is my very favorite scout." Rubian said smugly. "The leader of my band. And the strongest." "Oh yeah?" Diamond challenged. "And why was that?" "She's so close to us naturally." Rubian said with a malicious smile. "And also the fact she was the only one to come willingly." "You liar!" Diamond hissed at the throne. "Obsidian would never!" "She did." Rubian cackled. Diamond swore, but Rubian was already saying, "Ready? Begin!" Diamond's eyes focused back on Obsidian. Obsidian's eyes had always been that dark shade, but they had never looked so cold or so unfeeling. Mary's eyes had always been full of life and joy at everything. And partial insanity. But these eyes were harsh, and cruel. Diamond sighed and moved her knees back and forth a little. "I've been waiting for you, Sailor Diamond." Obsidian said, voice distant. "I knew you were coming, and I knew it would be up to me to defeat you." "So now you're psychic?" Diamond asked, cocking her head. "Thought that was Shellie's job." "I am the leader of the Senshi." Obsidian said coldly. "After you abandoned us." "I didn't abandon you!" Diamond snapped. "I was forced away! And leader of what Senshi?! You and I are the only ones left alive!" "Whose fault is that?" Obsidian asked coolly. "I'm not the one who killed them." With a yell, Diamond charged at Obsidian, who smiled in satisfaction. She raised a hand and shouted, "DARK SOULSTEALER SURROUND!!" Diamond's body was flung backward at the force of the black energy coming at her. It tore at her head and body, scratching her face and neck. She hit the far wall with a crack and slid to the floor, gasping, panting. She wanted to get up, but her limbs failed her. All she could do was lie there, and breathe. Just breathe. The click-clacking of boots on marble made her looked sideways. Obsidian was walking towards her, smiling cruelly. Feeble, she attempted to rise as Obsidian stood over her. There was an incredibly fast and strong kick to her face that made her head jerk back and strike the wall again. Another blow to her stomach propelled her into the wall, making it crack. She struggled to breathe, lungs laboring for air. "BLACK NIGHTFALL DESTRUCT!" Obsidian shouted, pointing at her. Another attack came roaring at Diamond. She couldn't move, couldn't evade it, just had to lie there, screaming in pain, letting black energy fill her senses, tear at her sanity, rip at her emotions. Obsidian-chan, my friend..stop.please.She looked up into Obsidian's indifferent face, eye full of pleading tears. Please. The attack didn't stop. It went on and on, pounding at her, destroying her. Her screams filled the room as blood starting to pour from thousands of tiny cuts all over her. She whimpered pitifully, not caring about the generals' laughs she knew would be there..like she could hear them anyway.. Emerald's face popped up in her mind, smiling at her as sea-green eyes closed. Go back to our time, eh, Dimes? Amethyst's head and grin. Hey, fearless leader. Sapphire's angry face. Darn it, can't remember! Topaz's soft smile. Let's rewrite this future. And Garnet's face, which was for an instant an old woman before it faded to the Garnet she remembered. Come on, Angie. You're our last hope. Don't let this happen. Diamond shuddered, but slowly closed her mouth, trapping in her cries. And gradually, very, very slowly, she began to stand up. The generals' catcalls, that she could now hear clearly, stopped abruptly. Obsidian's eyes narrowed in shock and anger. Diamond slowly straightened her back until she was standing fully upright, letting the attacks batter her and hurt her, but ignoring it. She glared at Obsidian with hatred. The attack abruptly stopped with a wave of Obsidian's hand. Diamond's shoulders sagged a little in relief before she went stiff again, eyes locked onto her last opponent's. "You can't win." Obsidian said softly. "Want to bet?" Diamond retorted, clenching her fists. "I'm your true leader, Obsidian. You can't beat me." "I'm the leader now." Obsidian asserted, smirking. "You're old news. And you're jealous of my new powers." She raised her hand to let a small ball of black cloud whirl in it. Diamond just looked at her. "So, you need more powers and a powerful super- queen behind you to beat me?" She asked. Obsidian's leer vanished. "I do not." "Sure seems like that, leader." Diamond said sarcastically, spitting on the ground in disgust. Obsidian's punch knocked her off her feet. She hit the wall, but before she could fall, Obsidian had grabbed her bow and flung her back across the room. She slid for several meters, wincing and rubbing her face. "Bor-ing." Obsidian sang smoothly, coming towards her. "I had expected more from you, Diamond." The self-assured look was back on her face. Diamond rose again slowly, wiping the blood trickling from her mouth. "And how's Tuxedo Onyx, Obsidian?" She asked, insight coming to her. Obsidian froze, eyes blacker than ever. "Did you kill him, or were you just laughing when he died?" "SHUT UP!" Diamond found her cracking her back against the wall again before she could move. Obsidian's cockiness had turned into a cold, raging fury. She picked Diamond up again and flung her at the line of generals. They all split apart and Diamond crashed into the wall just behind them. She crumpled, slowly sliding off the wall, as all the generals laughed and moved out onto the floor with Obsidian. Diamond began to stand and move back to the floor when her knees failed. Bile rose in her throat and she vomited blood. Obsidian laughed, as did her cohorts. Xavier had one arm draped around her neck, and she snuggled into him. Diamond glared at her, wiping her mouth. "Snuggling up to a general, Obsidian? You never did answer my question. What happened to Tuxedo Onyx?" Obsidian said nothing. She merely glared hatefully at Diamond. Diamond knew she had struck her major nerve. She moved down towards the group, staring at Obsidian. "Did he die for you? Did you try to save him and fail? Or maybe you did kill him. Look at you, all buddy-buddy with a general. What would Demetri have said?" "They're dead." Obsidian said coldly, hatred coursing in her voice. "And you're joining them, you witch." She raised her hand, but a strange, reckless feeling was in Diamond's veins, now. She moved out onto the floor, facing the group, eyes blazing. "I suppose he'd be real proud of you now, huh, Obsidian?" She asked. "Leader of the Senshi, won by joining with Rubian, bully, smooching with Xavier-you've just risen to the height of everything!" Obsidian moved forward, freeing herself from Xavier's grasp, face a mask of cold loathing. A warmth was filling Diamond's veins. Her stare melted into a serene look as she raised both her hands. "Good-bye, Obsidian." She aimed at the group. "SHINING METEOR SHOWER!!!!" Dozens of tennis-ball sized light bolts shot out of her hands and zoomed at the group, showering them with golden light. Obsidian, who was in front, took most of it, gasping in pain as they hit her torso and abdomen. A few shots hit the generals, who hissed as the light ate away at black armor and cloaks. The barrage continued, firing from Diamond's hands. Tears were streaming down her face as she pounded Obsidian again and again until a familiar spark came back into her eyes and she fell to the ground. Only then did she end her fire. The generals moved away, back to behind Rubian, as Diamond ran forward to hold her friend. Obsidian was crying. Sobbing, practically. "Diamond." She cried, blood leaking from many wounds. "Oh, Diamond, I'm so sorry." "Hey, it's all over." Diamond said soothingly. "Just-just relax." Tears fell down her cheeks too. Obsidian shook her head fiercely and sat up slightly, propped on her elbows. "No, no! Diamond, you don't understand! I-I did come willingly!" She began wailing slightly, choking on tears. Diamond froze, staring at in shock. Obsidian blubbered on, "I-I had to! She had Tuxedo Onyx, a-and she said she w-would kill h-him if I d-didn't come to h-her side. S-so I did, but then-" Her voice broke. "She k-killed him anyway! I-I couldn't stop her, I couldn't save him." Her voice trailed away into helpless sobs. Diamond hugged her friend in relief. "Hey, hey, it's okay! I would have done the same, Obsidian. Shhh, it's okay, hush now. I'll go back, and none of this will ever happen, okay? Calm down, it's okay." Obsidian quieted, blood flowing from her wounds. She took a deep, shuddery breath, and let it out very slowly. Her elbows slipped from under her as she went limp. Diamond didn't seem to notice. She went on, stroking her friend's hair. "It'll be okay. I'll go back, a-and I'll stop this! I won't let you guys d-die! I-I love you all! Oh, God, Obsidian," she broke down and began screaming. "Obsidian! Mary! Don't leave me! Don't leave me here alone, you're my last friend, please, Obsidian, don't go!" She hugged her friend's body fiercely, sobbing, tears mixing with her blood. Obsidian's body faded into shimmering black light that looked like the nighttime sky. Diamond tried to hold it, but it was insubstantial, and her arms slipped through it. "NOOOOOOO!" She wailed, heart finally breaking as she clutched her hands to her chest. "Obsidian! Obsidian!" The lights glittered together as they floated up and away, leaving her behind. Diamond sobbed and sobbed, tears flowing down her cheeks in a river, heart aching for all her friends. She shuddered, feeling like she would fall apart. "My friends." She whispered. "My sisters." A low laugh made her turn around, eyes filled with hate. She locked on the dark figure on the throne, who was chuckling to herself. "Well, well! Nicely done, Miss Diamond." Diamond stood, clutching her fists, hatred like she had never known before running through her like poison. There was a roaring sound in her ears as she stared at Rubian laughing at her. Laughing at her friends, her sisters. "WITCH!!!!" She finally exploded, running at the dark throne, tears streaming down her face. "You absolute witch!" A blast of energy flung her back as a shield formed around Rubian. Diamond ignored the pain shooting up her hands and pounded on it, kicking and screaming. "Stop that, you foolish girl." Rubian ordered quietly, motioning with her hand. Diamond was forced back by a jolt of energy. She glared at Rubian, eyes blazing gold. "I had never dreamed," Rubian said softly. "That you could so easily take away my five best warriors." "Easily?!" Diamond demanded, feeling faint. "And they're not yours, witch. They're mine. They've always been my friends and my warriors. Just because you owned their bodies doesn't mean you owned their souls." "How touching." Rubian sneered. "Enough chitchat. Jedin! Uther! Damon! Up front, boys. Take care of her." Diamond glared at the enemy generals who sidled forward. Damon seemed to be thinking hard. Diamond sighed and bared her neck. She couldn't handle three. She couldn't handle one. A flash of Sapphire's face flew through her mind. It's your charm, Angie. One of them-god, I can't remember-one of your charms-enchanted-keeping you here.Ivy's face zoomed at her, triumphant. She had grabbed something.her center charm.in her bow. Diamond looked down at her charm. It was glowing a dark green. So that's it! Diamond thought ecstatically. I break this, I go home! Damon caught her eyes. She pointed to her center charm and mimed breaking it. Damon's eyes brightened in realization. He nodded as a black sword appeared at his side. He grabbed it, and charged with a yell, point aimed at her heart. Diamond didn't move or attempt to shy away. She stayed perfectly still, watching it come closer and closer. "Hah!" Jedin yelled, swerving in from the right. "No you don't, Damon! She's mine!" He aimed a large mace at her head. Diamond ducked just as it came zooming down, and there was Damon's sword, right there- "STOP!" Rubian screamed. "Hold it! Damon, no! Don't break that charm-!" Too late. The sword tip rammed into the charm and through it, into Diamond's body. She gasped as pain flooded through her-but more importantly, the charm was radiating green light that was flooding the air around her. Damon quickly drew out the sword as she fell to the ground, clutching her chest. Her hand came away bloody. She stared at it, a smile lighting up her face as she looked up at Damon. "Thank you-but why'd you help me?" Damon chuckled a little as he stepped back. "This future's no fun. I like it more fighting than ruling over everything." "Idiot!" Rubian raged, flinging a bolt the size of a cow at Damon. He stiffened, eyes going wide, and then vanished into nothing but a cloud of smoke. Diamond stared at it, tears coming again to her eyes. Then she grinned. It doesn't matter. I'm going home! Everyone will be alive! Rubian was standing now, and walking towards her. Fury made the air around her shiver. She picked up Damon's sword that had fallen from his grasp and raised it towards Diamond's head. Diamond stared at it in disbelief. No- not now-please, not now- Rubian spitefully swiped at her. Diamond closed her eyes, felt the sword on her skin- Rubian choked out a yell. Diamond looked down in time to see herself starting to fade away-and the sword go right through her. She gasped, then smiled up at Rubian, who was screaming. "You whelp! You ruined everything! My future-my world-" As Diamond watched, she began to melt, like a candle under extreme heat. Darkness flooded around her vision, leaving the only the disintegrating Rubian. She continued shrieking, glaring at Diamond who was vanishing rapidly. "You little brat! I'll get you! I'll get you! I'll-" With a final slurp, she was gone, and Diamond was whizzing back through the dark tunnel, wounds healing, eyes clenched shut against horrible winds that screamed in her ears. WHUMPH! A hard surface knocked the wind out of her. She lay against it, breathing, not daring to look around. "Diamond?" A young, female voice asked. "Diamond, it IS you!!" "Garnet?" Diamond asked hesitantly, squinting up. Garnet beamed down at her. "Of course, you silly goose! You're back! Where'd you go? The future? What was it like-" Garnet managed no more, for Diamond had grabbed her hand and yanked down, flinging her to the floor. Before Garnet could react Diamond was hugging her fiercely, kissing the top of her head. "Garnet!" She sobbed. "Oh, Garnet! Garnet! You're alive!" Garnet smoothed her friend's hair, properly terrified. "Whoa, Diamond! Diamond! Chill out, girl! What happened?" "Yeah, what'd you see?" Topaz asked, kneeling beside them. Diamond raised her head to see her. "Topaz!" And she was off again, clutching her close, burying her head in yellow hair and sobbing. "I'm sorry I had to do it-I didn't know-oh, my friends!" "Is she okay?" Sapphire asked, bending down to look at Diamond. "Sapphire!" Diamond exclaimed, tearing flowing freely. "You helped me! It was you! You saved us! You gave us the clue-you brainiac!" She tore Sapphire down and kissed both her cheeks before hugging her fiercely. "Yuck!" Sapphire said, wiping off her face. "Sicko! Why'd you do that?!" Diamond laughed, hugging all the three. Emerald and Amethyst knelt also, trying to calm her. "Now, Diamond." Emerald said patiently. "What happened-" "You fought it!" Diamond grabbed Emerald's arm and drew her into a hugging headlock. "You fought it, Emerald! You're so strong-I couldn't believe it- I'm so proud!" Emerald patted the clutching arm, choking a little. Amethyst blinked. "Diamond, are you-" "Amethyst!" Diamond laughed and stood, dragging everyone up with her and squeezing Amethyst's stomach in a tight hug. "Oh, god, you fought so well. You were so strong! Wonderful!" Amethyst looked puzzled, but smiled as she patted Diamond's head. "Um, hello?" Mary asked, politely. "You're acting crazier than me, Angie! You okay? Were you attacked by wild ducks?" Diamond let go of all her friends to turn and look at Obsidian. She was standing, looking confused but happy. Diamond edged a step towards her, then, to everyone's surprise, flung herself on Obsidian's shoulder and began sobbing her heart out. "Oh, Obsidian-oh my god-you were so brave-you sacrificed yourself for Onyx- I'm so sorry-I didn't want you to go-you meant so much-oh, man!" She wailed, clutching at Obsidian's neck and shoulders. Obsidian patted her head comfortingly. "Hey, it's okay, Diamond. It's all okay. Now, what the heck happened? Is this going to take a while?" Diamond laughed, wiping her eyes and moving away. "Oh, god, Obsidian, it's going to take a week." Then she drew all her friends in tightly, hugging them fiercely, never wanting to let go. 


	16. Itty Bitty Sidenotes and an Explanation ...

Okay, after a very long time, I'm deciding to update again! *watches as the masses groan and throw hotdogs at her*  
  
Blame Guardian Dimension-whom I personally love and worship. To actually have a review again? SQUEAK! Thank you so much!  
  
Okay, folks, here's the thing: over the past months I went back and redid some stuff in this story, I can't remember what. If stuff doesn't make sense, just go along with it, please? *pouts* And just to let anyone who cares know, this story has been finished for a long time. I'm just taking my own sweet time posting it. ^_^ In fact, I started on the sequel already. And it's already very long. Eeeeee, yay for procrastination. 


	17. Starcrossed LoversObsidian and Onyx's Pa...

Chapter Ten  
  
"She broke through the trap." Uther noted quietly, spinning a small blade on his fingers. He was eyeing Spike and Ivy with something like accusation. Spike snorted. "Don't blame us, mate. Not our fault the girl broke free. We initiated our part." "And you let Garnet break our connection." Uther asserted, eyes snapping sparks. Spike snorted again. "I would have liked to see you trying to fight her. She was-incredible, her and Emerald both. They both did the whole kooky strange-language awesome-power thing." Uther raised an eyebrow. "Uh-huh. Sure. Right." Spike swore and moved towards him, raising a fist. Before he got within five feet Uther put up a barrier that glinted black. The two glared at each other. "Enough, both of you." Ithengil said coldly, coming out of the shadows and looking menacingly at them. "I'm sick of your whining." Uther and Spike continued their stare-down until a sharp hit from Ithengil's staff rapped both of them out of it. Uther rubbed his head and turned his glower to Ithengil. "That's unnecessary." "If it will shut you two up, it's perfectly legal." Ithengil growled, walking to the altar and bowing to it before turning back to them. "I have a new plan." "To get rid of her, or to gather energy?" Damon asked softly from his dark corner. Xavier grinned and cracked his knuckles, blood-stained teeth glimmering. "Both, if possible, but after that-drainage-of our supplies-" Ithengil shot Xavier a sharp look which he ignored. "-it more focuses on gaining energy again." "And the plan is?" Jedin asked, a smirk on his face. Ithengil waved his hand, and a large holographic map came up on the altar. "I'll show you."  
* * * The whole gang was sitting around Angie's kitchen table, listening as she finally poured the story of what had happened in the future out in shocked silence. Tears were flowing freely down their friend's face, and she spoke with so much pain when it came to the part about fighting their evil forms that even Elisha came around to give her a hug. "Well." Rachelle said when she was done and silence had been held for a few moments. "That would have been fun to see. Myself as an old lady." Angie laughed a little. "It was kind of creepy, actually. You had the exact same eyes." "And kids." A dreamy look came into Rachelle's eyes as she pressed her hands to blushing cheeks. "With Kyle..mmm." "Okay, going into the boundaries of the slightly gross, here!" Elisha said loudly, breaking Rachelle from her reverie. She added, however, with a great deal of pride. "Course, I'm really the one who saved us all, aren't I? Gave you the hint to get back and all." "Damon was the one who broke the charm." Marisa pointed out. No one saw Angie flush a deep hue. "Cause he liked fighting us." Lacie muttered, cracking her knuckles. "Notice he wasn't too friendly on the street." Angie blushed deeper. With reflection, she had left out the part about Damon's gentleness and her hugging him, both to avoid suspicion and teasing. This was a good thing, because she felt that a) Rachelle and Malorie would have instantly gone starry-eyed and picked out every detail, and b) Elisha and Lacie would thrash her to within an inch of her life. Lacie's hatred of all generals had grown remarkably since the fight where Damon had ground Diamond's face against the pavement, and Elisha still touched the places on her body where Jedin's blast had hit her with a scowl. Both had expressed at length what they wanted to do to certain generals if they ever caught up with them. "Still." Malorie sighed, fingering her hair lightly. "It would have been so romantic if he had noticed you and poured his heart out, saying he missed you, and ending his speech with a long-" "Yuck!" Marisa said loudly. Angie winced. Add her to the Elisha/Lacie category. "Damon is evil, remember, Malorie?" She looked more at Angie than Mal, and her eyes narrowed. "Evil." Angie gulped and nodded. "Right. Evil." "Which means," Elisha said, looking at her also. "That we do not rely on him for help, saving, or anything else. He is nothing but an enemy." There was a clear warning in her voice. Angie laughed pathetically. "Uh-huh. Right. Evil. I guess I'll just have to be content going after Alan." "No way." Elisha said seriously. "He's mine." Angie laughed before narrowing her eyes in pretend outrage. "Why, how dare you!" Elisha giggled and slapped her friend a high five. "Just kidding, Ange. But better do it quick. He's too cute to be left alone too long." Angie nodded importantly. "Yes, sah!" "Oh, shut up."  
* * * Later, the girls were all sitting around eating lunch at a table in the park, Angie's many servants having supplied and packed the food. Angie was still grumbling about this. "It's not fair." She complained. "I'm not allowed to do anything without them! They're so annoying." "You're an idiot, you know that?" Lacie asked, munching down on cheese and crackers. "I would do anything to live in your house and get all those servants!! No housework or anything at all!" "Oh, believe me, plenty of housework." Angie said grimly. "Mom makes me clean my own room, to make sure I don't get spoiled." The girls shuddered. Angie's room was approximately the size of the White House, complete with ensuite bathroom and computer room. "Still, though." Rachelle said, sipping orange juice from a carton and waving a straw at her. "It could be worse. You could have no maids and live in that place." This was enough to cause many whimpers around the table. "Stop it, Rachelle, you're scaring us!" Malorie whispered, shuddering. Rachelle grinned evilly and popped a French fry into her mouth. "Oh, no." Mary groaned suddenly. There was a flash of black and she was gone. "Mary?" Marisa asked, looking around. "Down here!" A voice hissed beneath the table. Angie looked down. "Nani-what are you doing?" Mary's hand shot out to point at something before it vanished again. Lacie looked to where she had pointed. "Hey, isn't that the guy you thought was cute on Friday?" "That was Friday!" Mary hissed, black eyes glaring at Lacie. "This is Sunday! Emotions have changed!" "Okay, what happened?" Elisha said with a sigh, grabbing Mary by the hair and pulling her out. Mary rubbed her scalp and continued to glare at the auburn haired man crossing the street, her mind darting back to the events of yesterday. Mary was skipping down the sidewalk, singing a little to herself. Angie had been somewhat in shock and refused to tell the story, so Lune and Demetri had called it an early day. Mary smiled as she skipped. Now she could go home and find ways to sneak dead squirrels into envelopes to send to people! She was so pleased at this, she began to sing loudly. "Oh, it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood, a beautiful day-oof!" The singing and skipping had abruptly ended as she hit the sidewalk after having run into a large object. She was up in a flash, bowing and gasping, "Gomen! Sorry! Didn't see you!" "Too busy singing Mr. Rogers?" Mary's head snapped up, a scowl on her face. "And what's wrong with Mr. Rogers?!" She demanded, then gulped as she realized who she had bumped into. It was the cute college man she had pointed out to the girls yesterday. This did not stop her wrath. NO one dissed Mr. Rogers while she was around! She glared up at the man, pouting. "What's wrong with Mr. Rogers?!" She asked again The man smirked. "Nothing, if you like guys who wear awful sport coats and worse blazers." Mary gasped. "I love his clothes!" The man eyed her up and down. "You would." "Urusai!" Mary gasped angrily. "Shut up! Baka!" "Don't call me an idiot." The man retorted. Mary had blinked in some surprise when she realized he knew what that meant, but she ignored this, stuck her tongue out at him, and walked away, steaming. "Baseball-capped jerk." She muttered under her breath. "Ooh." Angie said sympathetically when Mary had burst out the whole story. "So he's not exactly the nicest guy." "A complete jerk." Mary agreed, growling a little in the general direction of the guy. As if somehow hearing her thoughts, the man looked over to see her sitting with her group of friends. Mary groaned. "Oh, no, he's seen me!" And quick as a wink, she was back under the table. The man walked over to the table. The girls looked up at him, some with cool friendliness, some with downright adoration. "Hi!" Angie said brightly. "Who're you?" The man looked at her, bright green eyes scaling her up and down. "Call me Neo." Was the soft reply. Malorie blinked. "Neo? Nice name." The man smiled a little. "Yeah, I guess so." There was a muffled squeak from under the table. Lacie had an innocent expression on her face. "Did you kick her?" Marisa asked, looking at Lacie. There was another yell, and Mary emerged, flushed and prepared for battle. "MARISA-CHAN!!!!" She yelled, a large mallet appearing in the air beside her. Marisa screamed and ran from the table, Mary following, waving the hammer and shouting. "Um-that who you were looking for?" Lacie asked, sweat-dropping. "That'd be her." The man said, nodding. Mary had chased Marisa back to the table by this time. She raised the mallet high over her, laughing insanely. Marisa whimpered. "Mary, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! Lacie was the one who kicked you!" "So she DID!!" Mary roared, turning to glare at Lacie. "Oh, boy." Lacie said with a sigh, getting up from the table. She curtsied to Neo. "Excuse me." And she took off, Mary following her and yelling incomprehensible threats. Angie sighed a little. "Excuse me, also." She said, standing and going to a spot a few feet away from the table. Mary and Lacie had disappeared to somewhere inside the park. Angie looked calmly around, murmuring, "5.4.3.2.1." A purple flash zoomed by the table, followed quickly by a black one. Angie reached out her hand and snagged something. The black flash promptly stopped, revealing Mary caught by her hair. Lacie reached her seat, panting a little and still looking nervous, eyeing Angie's hold on Mary. "Mary." Angie said pleasantly. "SIT DOWN." Mary sat, the mallet vanishing. Unfortunately, Angie had made her sit close to where Neo was standing. She glared at him, folding her arms. "Yeah, what do you want?" Neo chuckled a little, then retrieved something from his pocket and held it out. "You dropped this yesterday when you so rudely bumped into me." Every girl gasped as they realized that Neo held a small, silver bracelet with a black jewel in the middle. Blushing furiously, Mary snatched it up, hoping no one would see it. They did. "You LOST your CHARM!?!?!" Elisha screeched, grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her hard. "YOU IDIOT!!!!!! YOU COMPLETELY IRRESPONSIBLE IDIOT!!!!" "I didn't mean to!" Mary wailed, trying to free herself. She glared at Neo, who was watching this all with amusement. "YOU LOST YOUR-FRIENDSHIP CHARM!!!!!!" Elisha yelled, shaking her even harder than ever. "BAKA, BAKA, BAKA!!!!" "Down, girl!" Malorie commanded, freeing Mary from Elisha's grip. She eyed Mary sternly. "Though it WAS extremely irresponsible, Mary." "I didn't MEAN to!!!" Mary wailed. "How could you?" Angie asked quietly. Everyone froze as Angie looked sorrowfully across the table at Mary. "How could you?" Mary screeched and fell backwards. "No! NO!! Not the Look! Anything but the Look! I hate the Look! Take it away!!" She covered her eyes and curled into a small ball, rocking back and forth. Angie continued to gaze tragically at Mary before the Look went away and she grinned. "It's gone, Mary." She said firmly. "You have served your punishment." Mary peeked up through her fingers. Seeing the Look gone, she bounced up and smiled broadly. "Yay! Freedom!" She secured the bracelet firmly on her wrist and skipped around the table, humming happily. Neo watched her in a mix of amusement and superiority before waving to the girls and walking into the park. As soon as he was gone, Mary sat down with a sigh. "Evil." She muttered. Rachelle eyed her severely. "It's a good thing he found you, Mary! What if we had transformed and you couldn't have! You would have been in big trouble!" Mary sighed and flopped her hand listlessly at Rachelle. "Spare me, please, Shellie. A run-in with that creep has stemmed my ability to be goofy." She indeed looked strained, and she glared in the direction he had gone. "Ooh, this is bad." Elisha eyed Mary seriously. "Mary's goofiness quenched? This guy might be an energy-stealer." Mary sighed. "Nah, I don't sense he's evil. Just a jerk and a creep." Malorie and Angie looked at each other across the table, frowning a little. Angie raised a questioning eyebrow. Malorie nodded seriously, then looked sideways at Mary. "You know, Mary." She said slowly. "It's kind of funny, but-remember how Usagi and Mamoru's relationship started?" Mary choked, then stood up, eyes blazing. "Don't you DARE suggest what I know you're going to, Mal." She said through gritted teeth. "That guy is NOT Tuxedo Onyx. For one thing, his hair is auburn. For another, he has green eyes. For a third, Tuxedo Onyx is cute, wonderful, gentlemanly, and kind. Nothing like that." Malorie held up her hands. "Sorry! Sorry! Shutting up!" "You seemed to think he was cute on Friday." Lacie muttered. Mary glared at her. 'That was Friday. This is now. I know him better." She morosely began to eat a peanut butter sandwich, scowling. "We are definitely going to pull a Usagi-Mamoru thing, here." Angie muttered to Malorie, who nodded fervently. "What?!" Mary snapped, the mallet appearing beside her again. "Nothing!" Angie said innocently, biting into a carrot. Mary growled and raise the hammer high. Angie's eyes began to fill with tears. The mallet vanished as Mary covered her eyes. "Okay! Okay! No Look! Not the Look!" Angie grinned a little as she stood and backed away from the table, stretching and beginning to put stuff back into the large wicker picnic basket she had brought. A football suddenly came down from the sky and bonked Angie on the head. She yelped and hit the ground, football bouncing off her head. She rubbed the back of her scalp and glared up at the sky. "Okay, which cloud threw that?!" "Cloud nothing." Elisha whispered, going a beet red and pointing. "Look!" A blond head was running towards them from the other end of the park. "Hey, isn't that Chase?" Marisa asked, peering closer. Elisha was blushing madly, twisting a napkin in her hands and looking like she'd like to do as Mary did and go under the table. "What's wrong, Elisha?" Rachelle asked, seeing her friend's flush. Elisha said nothing, just gave Rachelle an obvious "DUH!" look. Rachelle grinned as she remembered the last time Elisha had come into contact with Chase. "Ohhh..remember the kiss, huh?" "KISS?!" Everyone looked up, eyes narrowed. "What kiss?!" "Sapphire was kissed by Chase!!" Rachelle said in a stage-whisper. There were immediate gasps and giggles. Lacie, Malorie, and Marisa pounced on Elisha and began hissing questions at her, which Elisha completely ignored. Angie and Mary eyed her with interest, but did not move. Angie remained resting comfortably on the ground. Chase jogged up, panting. "Sorry 'bout that, kid-" He bent down to retrieve the football, then saw who he had hit. He sighed. "You again, huh?" "Us again!" Angie agreed cheerfully. "Your football seems to have a knack for hitting us." "Or our food." Mary added, remembering her spaghetti flying everywhere with a grin. "Chase, man, what's up?!" Two boys ran up. Angie immediately sprang up, glaring at a very familiar one, while Lacie moved away from Elisha to crack her knuckles slightly. The beefy boy-leader of the bullies-gulped and moved back a little from the two furious girls in front of him. "Angie, Lacie, chill." Elisha of all people said calmly. Lacie flexed her fingers but sat back down. Angie leaned again the table in a pretend nonchalance, though mentally she was wondering how to best steal Mary's mallet. Elisha looked serenely at Chase and the two boys. "Can we help you further? Or were you leaving?" The beefy boy eagerly took off back to the field where the boys had been playing. Lacie moved restlessly, but Elisha shot her a warning look and she subsided. But the eagerness of a fight had spread to all the girls, who were now just attempting to look casual, though truly wondering whether they should attack first or merely defend. Elisha frowned. Down, girls!! She yelled in her mind. Muttered sorries came from most of the girls, but Lacie still cracked her knuckles. "Well?" Elisha asked when the two others made no move of leaving. "What d'you want?" "A knuckle sandwich?" Lacie muttered, frowning in intense dislike. Angie shushed her, deeply interested in what was going to happen. Elisha seemed calm, but she had hidden quivering hands under the table. The other boy, who had dark brown hair, reached out to grab a chip from the table. Mary calmly slapped his hand. "Hey!" He protested, drawing back. "You didn't ask." Mary told him with a sniff, an evil gleam in her eye. "It's rude to take food without having been offered it first." The boy blinked once or twice, then smiled a little. "May we have some food?" Mary opened her mouth with an evil smirk, but Rachelle clapped a hand over it and smiled. "Help yourself." Eyeing Mary, the boy snatched up a chip and munched on it a little. Mary scowled at Rachelle, who gave her a look. Come on, Mary! Try to be a little friendly! I get ostracized on a daily basis by guys like these! She's right! Lacie said, butting in. These guys wouldn't look at us if we sprouted wings, but now, just because we have food, they're all buddy- buddy! Come ON, you two! Rachelle yelled For Elisha's sake! Remember what she said?! Elisha calmly looked at Chase. "Do you want anything?" Chase shook his head. "No thank you." There was silence for a second. "THIS IS TAKING TOO LONG!!!!!!" Mary roared suddenly. She yanked Chase down into a seat beside Elisha and gave him a plate stuffed with food. "EAT!!! NOW!!! THEN ASK ELISHA OUT ALREADY!!!!" There was a stunned silence following this blowup. Mary was breathing hard, glaring at Chase. The girls were holding in their laughter. The two men looked puzzled and confused, and Elisha looked like she was considering stuffing Mary into the nearest toilet. Finally, Malorie cracked. She fell backwards and began roaring with laughter, rolling on the ground and choking. The tense silence was broken as Angie and Marisa promptly joined her, while Lacie and Rachelle were satisfied with giggles. The boys still looked bemused, though Chase's mouth had been carefully closed. Mary calmly sat back down and continued eating as if nothing had happened. Elisha kicked her under the table. Angie wiped tears from her eyes and stood back up, still chuckling a little. "Mary, yousa crazy." She said firmly before grinning widely and going into hysterics again. Chase stood up. "Sorry you interrupt, girls. We'll be going-" Something flew out of a clump of bushes and landed hard on Chase, knocking him to the ground. Animal snarls were resounding loudly through the air. Angie and Lacie were on their feet in an instant. Lacie ran around the side of the table, gasping at what she saw. Chase was on the ground, wrestling frantically against the open jaws of a-thing. It had moldy, green, knobby skin and large spikes sticking out of its arms and legs. Red eyes were focused on its intended victim, and a slobbering tongue licked at Chase's face. He yelled and tried to wriggle away, but the creature grasped him firmly and tried to bite into his neck. There was a blue flash, and the creature was flung several feet away. It screeched and hit the ground, skidding against the pavement. Elisha glared at it, wiping her hands on her skirt. "Get out of here." She told Chase, not looking at him or his colleague. "The both of you. Move it." The brown-haired boy was quick to obey. He took off, eyes the size of saucers. Chase merely wiped off his face and glanced over at his rising attacker. "What the-" "Idiot!" Lacie snarled, picking Chase up by the collar and shoving him towards where his friend had disappeared. "Leave! Beat it! Now!" "What about you lot?!" Chase said indignantly, wrestling with Lacie. "We'll be fine-just go!" Angie urged, smiling a little. "But-" Chase complained. Lacie wanted no more talking. She picked Chase up and flung him into a clump of bushes, wiping her hands. "Okay, he's gone! Now let's transform!" "Shouldn't he be a little further?" Angie asked, grabbing her bracelet. "No time!" Marisa gasped, pointing as the monster began to make its way back towards them, howling. From the bushes, Chase was watching all this with a great deal of interest. What were those idiots doing? He wondered if required him having to pull a knight-in-shining-armor and go rescue them. A smirk played slightly on his face, imagining Lacie's reaction if she needed saving. "Diamond Star Power-" "Emerald Star Power-" "Obsidian Star Power-" "Amethyst Star Power-" "Topaz Star Power-" "Garnet Star Power-" "Sapphire Star Power-" "MAKE-UP!!!!" Chase let out a muffled yell as a million multicolored light filled the clearing, temporarily blinding him. He rubbed his eyes, trying to squint through the fiasco of colors. Dimly he heard a voice say, "You know, if us being the Sailor Scouts doesn't scare everyone away, that light show certainly will." He blinked. It sounded an awful lot like Mary. "You know it, sister." He blinked again. Now that one-Lacie, perhaps? Finding he was able to see again, he peered out of his lovely bushes. Sailor Diamond glared across at the oncoming demon. "Now, what the heck is this?!" She demanded crossly. "General creation?" "Don't think so." Sapphire said practically. "They use Screamers, remember? Besides, this thing is-AAAAH!" The demon had launched itself at her, tearing at her fuku, snarling. Sapphire angrily grabbed its jaws as Chase had done and pulled in opposite directions. The thing's jaw broke, lower half dangling uselessly. Sapphire shoved it off and glared at it before continuing. "As I was saying, they use Screamers, which seem to entirely fulfill their needs. And besides, the demons the generals use are made of anti-light, so they're like our opposites. They're sort of like baby generals." "And you know all this-how?" Topaz asked, raising an eyebrow. Sapphire shrugged, eyes twinkling. "Demetri told me." "And he never told me?" Obsidian asked indignantly. "SO not fair." Sapphire shrugged again. "You never asked-Hey!" She looked down angrily as the demon began to claw at her boots. "Knock it off and just die already!" She snapped, kicking it away. The creature continued to slobber after her, crawling on the ground. Angrily, Sapphire snatched the first thing that came into her hand-a broken piece of a board from where Chase had broken the table as he fell. She raised it high into the air, and plunged it down into the demon's back. The demon's red eyes bugged out, and its mouth opened in a silent scream. Its body shuddered, and burst into thousands of particles of dust that vanished in the sunlight. The Senshi stared at where it had lain, open-mouthed. "What did you do?!" Emerald asked finally, eyes bugging out of her head. Sapphire moved her mouth, but no words came out. She merely gaped at the ground. Garnet was the only one who seemed slightly less fazed. "You plunged a wooden stake into a demon's heart and it died. Standard procedure." She grinned eagerly. "Man! Just like Buffy!" "But this isn't Buffy!!" Amethyst yelled. "This is real life!" "In which we are a band of superheroes fighting evil beings and a person with approximately the power of a god." Garnet said calmly. "Welcome to our world." Amethyst's mouth opened, and then abruptly shut. "She's right." Diamond agreed. "Course I am." Garnet said snootily. "Thought you guys had figured this out by now: I'm always right." "Nah, that'd be Sapphire, here." Emerald said, knocking Sapphire gently on her head. "Brainiac." Garnet stuck out her tongue and sniffed in pretend injury. "But what does this mean?" Diamond asked softly, kneeling down to the ground and gently touching a few leftover atoms. "Demons? In our town? Like there isn't enough trouble already?" "Maybe they're drawn here." Sapphire suggested, thinking hard. "Like in Buffy. Right?" She asked Garnet doubtfully, who nodded. "They're drawn to the Hellmouth." "The Hellmouth?!" Amethyst screeched. "Hello?! Jeez! Are we all of a sudden going to become a paranormal activity center?!" "Probably." Obsidian said, with some excitement. Amethyst rubbed her eyes. "Great. Just perfect." "So, now what?" Diamond sighed and stood. "Will they come all at once, or gradually? Do we need to patrol?" She sighed and rubbed her eyes. "Oh, man. That's an unpleasant thought. As if I don't have enough problems in my life." "If we don't, it's more likely people will die." Garnet warned. "I guess we might lose a few lives here and there." "Not on my shift!" Diamond snapped, flaring up. "Hah! Patrol, ho! No one dies in my town, thank you very much!!" Garnet grinned. "That's my girl." Diamond began pacing back and forth, planning. "So, if we all take two- hour shifts in groups of three and four, starting at eight and going to six, that would leave, let's see-six hours of sleep for one group, four for another." She winced. "Not exactly the ideal night." "Maybe we can handle late nights better than most!" Emerald volunteered. "I mean, heck, we're superheroes and all, right? Maybe we don't get sleepy!" "Sapphire doesn't get sleepy, Elisha does." Sapphire grumbled. "She's right." Obsidian said. "It's too much to hope for, that we don't need sleep." "I can dream, can't I?" Emerald asked, injured. "But, then, there is the fact I never really feel tired in Sailor form." Amethyst pointed out. "I mean, I feel I could fight all day!" "Which you probably could." Topaz muttered. "Um." Garnet whispered, pointing at the ground. "Is it just me, or is the ground shaking?" Pebbles and dirt were bouncing around on the ground like popcorn kernels in a microwave. Topaz stared at them before her head snapped up and she pointed to something across the way. "Look!" The air seemed to be shimmering and twisting in on itself, like a strange mirage. It was glowing a deep purple color. The Senshi stared at it, tense and expectant. There was a scream, and the shifting air turned into a rent through space. Demons began pouring out of it, red eyes glowing, fangs looking sharp and ready. They were all hideous, faces mottled and dark, skin scabby and crusty. Their eyes centered on the scouts, and all raised a horrible cry into the air as they charged. The Senshi promptly and very bravely screamed. "HELP!!!" Garnet screamed. "WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED DO?!?!" "HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO KNOW?!?!" Obsidian yelled back. Topaz and Emerald began fervently praying under their breaths. Amethyst frantically looked around, and spotted the picnic table. Thinking quickly, she gave it a tremendous kick. The table smashed into several pieces, food flying everywhere. Amethyst grabbed a large piece and ran in front of her screaming friends as the first onslaught came. She violently jabbed the broken wood into the demon's heart. It hiccupped, and then exploded. Diamond and Obsidian quickly grabbed their own stakes and joined Amethyst as the demons swarmed around, tearing at their clothes and hair. Obsidian hissed as one grabbed her arm and knocked the wood away. Angrily, she raised her hand. "BLACK FEAR SWARM!!!" The attack flew into several demons. They screeched as their atoms flared into nothing and were blown away by the wind. "Ah-HA!!" Diamond crowed ecstatically. "We have found another weakness!" The others had stopped blubbering now to stare in amazement at what was happening. "DEATH CRESCENTS DESTROY!!!!" Amethyst yelled, flinging the razor boomerangs at the oncoming demons. Heads and torsos went flying as more demons shrieked and vanished. Amethyst directed the crescents grimly with her hands, hitting with deadly accuracy. "Hah!" Sapphire screamed, leaping up in excitement. "Now we got 'em!" "Not yet, Sapph, they're still a few dozen left!" Diamond said grimly, jabbing her stake at one. "Hah!" Sapphire said joyfully. "ICY GLACIER FREEZE!!!!" Demons screamed as arms and legs were snapped off in the blast of ice. Dust flew everywhere as more and more exploded. The remaining demons backed away, eyeing the Senshi nervously. Long red tongue lashed over scaly lips. "Um-excuse me?" Garnet said hesitantly. "But from my vast knowledge of Buffy, logically these things could not be out now, as it is broad daylight?!?!" The Senshi blinked at her. "Hey, that's right!" Topaz said, getting up off the ground. "So-shouldn't they be disintegrating?" "Well, they're not, are they?!" Amethyst snapped, patience completely frayed. "Or does it look like that to you?!" Topaz blinked at Amethyst, eyes filling with tears. "I-I was just-I was just thinking-they should-" Her voice trailed away as she began to wail. "Oh, brilliant!" Diamond snapped at Amethyst. "Let's hurt people's feelings and just get everyone fighting! Idiot!" "Well, she was being stupid!" Amethyst complained in defense. "How are we supposed to defeat enemies if we fight amongst ourselves?!" Diamond demanded. "Well, why don't we try not making idiotic suggestions first!" Amethyst growled. "Jerk!" "Baka!" "URUSAI!!!!" Emerald yelled. "Everyone, please, SHUT UP!!!" Amethyst and Diamond stared at the bristling green-haired girl who had Topaz by the shoulders and was comforting her. She glared daggers at the two. "You two bickering isn't going to help anything!! Amethyst, you be nicer! Diamond, chill!" "Excuse me?!" Diamond demanded. "I have the right to get on Amethyst's case when she's slacking, not you! I'm your elected leader, remember?!" "That can be changed." Emerald retorted. "NO, IT CAN'T!!!" Diamond yelled. "I'M THE LEADER, YOU GUYS CHOSE ME, YOU CAN'T BACK OUT ON ME NOW!!!" Emerald blinked at her. "Don't have a coronary! Just don't yell at people, all right?!" "I WASN'T YELLING!!!" Diamond wailed. "I HAVE THE RIGHT TO GET UPSET WHEN MY FRIENDS START DOUBTING ME!!" Tears began gushing out of her eyes. "Shut up!" Obsidian begged, putting her hands over her ears. "Please! You're giving me a headache!" "Oh, you shut up, Mr. Rogers." Amethyst snapped. Obsidian's eyes flashed black. Power surged around her in the air as she bared her teeth. A gigantic lightning bolt flew down from the sky to envelope her suddenly as the air crackled with darkness. The remaining demons shrieked as one before they spontaneously combusted "Ani cooroo domma nidene. Megussa elil Damo Rogers!!!!" Obsidian yelled, anger shooting sparks from her eyes- "The dark is rising-DON'T CALL ME MR. ROGERS!!!!!!" Amethyst was flung back slightly by the force of this scream. "Okay! Fine! Sorry! Sailor Obsidian! Right!" The blackness faded. Obsidian's fierce look changed to a happy but exhausted one. "I talked in the funny language!" She exclaimed happily. "I'm special!!!" "And you blasted away all the demons." Garnet said with a huge sweat drop appearing on her head. "Oh, yeah, that too." Obsidian agreed, bouncing up and down happily, a huge smile on her face. Then, without the slightest change in expression, she fainted. "Oh boy." Sapphire said with a sigh. Topaz helped her friend sit up. Obsidian seemed a bit cross-eyed, but she had come around very quickly. She grinned at them all. "I'm cool! I'm good! I'm becoming an incredibly strong warrior! I'm-" Her stopped abruptly, eyes going wide but seeing nothing. Into all of the girls heads there fell a picture, a little different for each one. Many people, a light, huge, expensive ballroom, the swish of skirts, the taste of wine, and a hint, the slightest feeling of magic. "What-what was that?!" Garnet asked faintly, thinking of it again. She realized with a start that picture-it was a part of her. Like it had been in her memory all this time, and she had forgotten it. Diamond was rubbing her head in amazement. "I-I don't believe it-it's like, I was there, like I was seeing all this through someone else's eyes." "Maybe our own?" Topaz suggested, eyes closed, reliving it again and again. "Are we getting our past memories back already?" Emerald whispered. "But-Demetri said it would take months! Or years!" Amethyst yelped. "Why are we getting them back now?! A month hasn't even past yet!" "Apparently, we're moving incredibly fast." Obsidian murmured, eyes closed and something close to rapture in her movements. "But-already?" Sapphire whispered. "I don't want to remember! Demetri said they might swamp us, remember?! All the things that we had to do? Leave our planet, sacrifice ourselves, lose our friends-that's too much!" "It's just one memory." Diamond said comfortingly, patting the blue-headed girl on the head. "We probably won't get more for a while." "I hope so." Sapphire sniffed, rubbing her head a little. "It was nice." Garnet whispered. "The ball.and also." "Familiar." Emerald finished grimly. "I think that was the ball just before the invasion. That one Lune showed us." There was a long silence after this remark. "I hope we don't remember anything longer for a while." Obsidian said finally. "I definitely don't want that night first." "Agreed." Topaz said, nodding. "That'd be too horrible." Sapphire sighed, then she snapped her fingers. "Oh! Before I forget, did everyone else notice the demons?" "No, Sapphire, we had no idea we were attacked by a horde of them." Amethyst said sarcastically. The girls giggled. "I mean, where they came from!" Sapphire snapped. "The vortex thing?" Emerald shrugged. "Yeah, what about it?" "That vortex, I believe, was a direct link to our local bad guy headquarters!!" Sapphire yelled. "They were sent by the generals!! I can feel it!! I know these things!!" "So the bad boys did have something to do with that one, huh?" Diamond mused. "The demons must have had some other kind of protection too, so they didn't melt in the sunlight." "Or maybe they can resist light." Garnet pointed out. Everyone face-vaulted. "Garnet, in the future, please do not suggest these things." Diamond muttered, face muffled by pavement. "We're not doing any good standing around here all transformed." Emerald said sensibly, getting up. "Why don't we de-transform?" "I don't know." Sapphire said, glancing around uneasily. "Maybe I'm paranoid, but-I've got this feeling we should stay as we are for the time being." Emerald shrugged. "Fine. Whatever." She walked over to the picnic table and surveyed its remains gloomily. "Man, that was a perfectly good lunch." "We've got a lot of fights ahead of us, don't we?" Obsidian asked quietly, picking up a broken paper plate and looking at it sadly. "Most assuredly so." Amethyst muttered, giving her spilled soda a rueful look before beginning to pick trash up to dump in a receptacle. "Amethyst!" Garnet screamed suddenly. "Stop! Don't move--!" Amethyst let out a scream as something from the shrubbery near the trash can shot out at her. She fell backwards, grabbing at her stomach in horror. A small blue spear had been driven through her. She yanked it out and threw it away in disgust. "Diamond!" She called, teeth clenched. "I could use a little help, here!" Diamond ran forward, hands already glowing gold. "Everlasting Love Purify!!!" The gash in Amethyst's stomach quickly healed. She lurched to her feet and glared at the clump of undergrowth. "Okay, come on out and fight, you coward!!!" There was a whir of sound as something a dark blue shot out of the side of the bushes and went whizzing away across the clearing. Topaz let out a cry as another deep blue spear caught her shoulder. She wrenched it out, gasping in pain, covering the wound with one hand, the other coming up to aim at the quick-moving thing. "BRIGHT WHIRLWIND GUST!!!" The attack hit whatever it was, momentarily wrapping around it and freezing it, just enough so the scouts could make out a huge dark blue man with a silver mask over his face and silver machinery all over his body. Its hand, with long, sharp-looking claws, lashed out to knock the attack away. Topaz's shot vanished in a puff of yellow and blue. "What the heck.?" Diamond muttered. "Topaz! Need healing?" "Nope!" Topaz said, gritting her teeth. "No, I'm okay. It's not too bad." The machine-man was zooming around them again in a tight circle. Obsidian's hand shot up as he neared her, and a spear went flying into the sky, blocked by her arm. "We've got to get out of here!" Sapphire yelled. "We're sitting ducks!!" "Start jumping!" Diamond commanded, yelping as a spear nearly knocked her head off. "Go, and keep moving!" The Senshi leapt off into the park. Obsidian leapt high into the air and landed on top of a nearby street post, glancing back at the clearing. The blue Mecha had paused, glancing around. Its head turned towards her. "Shoot." Obsidian hissed, leaping away. The thing turned into a blur again as it sped after her, miming her movements perfectly. "Damn!" She cursed, leaping in zigzags back and forth across the street and watching the Mecha imitate her. "I can't shake him!" More importantly, the robot seemed to be speeding up. It was gaining on her. Obsidian left the road to cut through the park, barely dodging trees and other obstacles. The robot was right behind her, only mere trees and bushes didn't stop it. Obsidian gasped as she saw it go right through a middle-aged tree without even stopping. The tree wavered, leaves shaking, and it began to fall in the direction of a family of picnickers. "God, I'm too tender-hearted." Obsidian muttered, turning around and running towards the group. The mother of the family looked up as the tree's shadow fell over them. Her mouth opened wide, though nothing came out. She began grabbing at her kids, preparing to throw them away- A black blur sped in front of them. The tree's descent promptly stopped. The woman looked up, eyes going wider. Obsidian gasped as her arms shook. She looked down at the woman. "Hello." The woman mouthed hello. A man-probably the father-grabbed the kids and flung them off the blanket before realizing the imminent danger was over. He, too, gaped at Obsidian. Obsidian gasped as her arms began shaking uncontrollably. "Move! I can't hold it forever, you morons!!! Go!!" The woman and man fled, going to hug their children close. The woman stared back as Obsidian carefully lowered the tree just to the side of the blanket, being extra careful not to mess up anything of the food. She sighed in relief and grinned at the gaping woman. Very slowly, the woman began to smile back. A blue blur shot out at Obsidian. Before she could move, the robot-thing had grabbed her with two arms and was propelling her backwards, not stopping. It flung her up against a street post, which snapped in half at the force of that blow. Obsidian cried out in pain, arching her back. She grabbed at the metallic hands clasped onto her shoulders, trying to scratch them off. The android didn't let go. A single red eye on one side of its face blinked slowly at her, not showing any emotion. The other half of its face was covered in silver metal. It glared mercilessly down at her, tightening its grip. Obsidian shrieked as she felt its fingers grow sharp and dig deep into her shoulders. The machine suddenly let go, making several beeping noises. It fell back, waving arms and legs like some huge metal bug. A silvery rose was embedded in its back. Obsidian massaged her shoulders before falling backwards, pain lancing through her. Strong arms caught her just before she hit the ground. She gazed blearily up at a masked face. "Tuxedo Onyx. Thanks." She sighed and leaned back. "Ow." Tuxedo Onyx carefully lowered her to the ground. He ripped off a long piece of his cloak and tore it in two, rapping one piece around one shoulder and the other on the next. "You okay?" He asked. Obsidian shook her head. "The android. I gotta fight it." She tried to struggle up, then lay back, muttering. "In a second." Tuxedo Onyx smiled down at her, smoothing her hair a little. Obsidian gave him a tiny smile back, eyes brimming with happiness. There was a sudden metallic roar. Tuxedo Onyx's eyes went wide as he fell on top of Obsidian. Alarmed, she sat up, grabbing him by his shoulders. "Onyx-kun!!" Tuxedo Onyx slowly sat up, clutching at his abdomen. Obsidian gasped as she saw the tip of a blue spear poking out of his stomach. Onyx grabbed it and savagely yanked it out, blood spilling over his silver tuxedo. He turned and stood up, carefully hiding Obsidian. She peeked out behind up to see the android lining up another spear to fire again. Onyx drew out his cane and held it in front of him, face grim and angry. "Onyx-chan." Obsidian whispered, struggling to kneel. "Be careful." The android flung another spear at Tuxedo Onyx. He swiftly moved his cane to knock it aside and reached inside his cloak, bringing out a silvery jewel the size of a pencil, though wider and very sharp at both ends. He flung it at the monster. The android shrieked as the shot hit its neck. Its shriek turned into a gurgling moan as it stumbled back, clutching at its throat. "Go Onyx!" Obsidian cheered, standing up and jumping up to stand a few feet away, then nearly stumbling as her injuries caught up again. Tuxedo Onyx gave her a weak smile as he rubbed his stomach. The robot stumbled back up and towards them, another blue spear forming and aiming at Obsidian. In a multitude of beeps, the spear shot at Obsidian's heart. Obsidian stared at it in horror, legs failing her again and locking in place. Her mind registered the oncoming shot with a detached horror as it hurled at her. "Obsidian!" Onyx yelled, moving quickly. "Move!" Obsidian gasped- Oh, no. No, please, god, no. Onyx let out a grunt and fell to the ground, more blood gushing out of him. He fell face forward, spear point coming out of his back. His already blood-stained tuxedo became almost completely unrecognizable as blood poured over it. The android thing let out another shriek as a last defiance before it fell back, red eye going dull. Obsidian knelt by him, wailing, trying to yank the spear out of his back. It finally came, and she flung it away. She gently turned Onyx over, tears flowing down her cheeks. "Onyx-chan!! Onyx-chan!!" Tuxedo Onyx's closed eyes opened again to look up at her, silver eyes gleaming brightly. "Obsidian." Obsidian clutched him close, rubbing his hand on her cheek. "Hang in there! Oh, please, hang in there!" She began to scream mentally with all the power she could summon. DIAMOND!!! DIAMOND, PLEASE!!!! Across the park, Diamond froze, eyes crossing at the force of Obsidian's mind blast. She did not reply, just turned about and began to fly back across the park to where she could sense Obsidian's presence. Obsidian sobbed, laying her head down on Tuxedo Onyx's bloody chest. "You saved me! God, why'd you do that, you idiot?! God, oh my God." She sat back up and shook him slightly by the shoulders. Tuxedo Onyx laughed a little, and then coughed. A splatter of red blood appeared on Obsidian's black bow. She bit back a strangled sob. Onyx smiled hazily at her. "I have to. I'm-your protector. I'm-always there- for you." "You're such an idiot." Obsidian whispered, bending over him. Before he could blink, she leaned over and gently kissed him. Tuxedo Onyx's eyes opened wide, and he gasped into Obsidian's mouth. She drew back and laid her head on his chest again. Very slowly, his hands moved up to touch her shoulders. A thousand images suddenly flew into both of their minds. Images of dates, dances, moonlit walks, dinners, caresses, hugs, kisses. These images. Obsidian murmured in her mind. They belong to. Us? Tuxedo Onyx wondered, letting the images swarm through his mind. Me and-Sailor Obsidian? We were.. Lovers. An identical memory flashed through their minds. * It was early spring on Opal. Obsidian, only seven years old, was playing in a garden with her sisters. They were tossing a ball back and forth. Amethyst had hit the ball too hard. It bounced off Garnet's head and went over the hedge into another garden. "I'll get it!" Obsidian cried, running through an archway of roses and ivy vines into the other garden. The ball they had been playing with was a few feet away. Unfortunately, it was in the hands of someone else-a boy, who looked to be around twelve or thirteen years old. Obsidian ran up and smiled at him, holding out her hands. "Hey! Can I have our ball back?" The boy holding the ball smiled down at her, brushing a lock of silver hair out of his eyes. "Um-sure." He gently deposited it in the small girl's arms and laughed a little. "It kinda hit my head." Obsidian gasped. "Oh, I'm sorry!" She appeared to be thinking hard, then she gestured to him. "Bend down!!" Surprised, the boy did as she asked. Obsidian raised her hand and patted him on the head. "There! Feel any better?" "Sort of." The boy answered, raising his head to smile at her. Obsidian giggled, and then stood up on her tiptoes to kiss the boy on the cheek. "Bye!" She called, running back into the other garden where her sisters were. The boy looked after her in amazement, then grinned as his hand touched his cheek. * "Our first meeting." Obsidian whispered, sitting up and looking into Tuxedo Onyx's eyes. Another memory came shooting up into their minds. * "Mommy!" An eleven-year old Obsidian cried, running from her room into the hallway. "Mom! Where are you-ow!" She fell down onto the ground and glared up. "Neo-chan!! Watch it!" "Hey, you ran into me!!" The sixteen-year old replied, blinking down at the tall black-haired girl. "So?!" Obsidian leapt up and glared at him. "Baka!" She gave his long silver ponytail a tug. "Hey!" Neo protested, yanking his hair out of her reach. "Don't pull my hair!" Obsidian giggled. "You sound like a girl!" "And you sound like a chimp." Neo retorted. Obsidian sniffed and pouted, tears coming to her eyes. Neo grinned at the adorable expression and bent down to look Obsidian in the eyes. "Just kidding, monkey-girl." He whispered before giving her a kiss on the cheek. Obsidian blushed a bright red before squealing and hugging Neo around the middle and skipping off. Neo watched her go, an affectionate expression on his face. * "You were a cute kid." Tuxedo Onyx murmured, eyes closed and seeing the sweet expression again. Another image flew up. * A fourteen year old Obsidian was walking in a dark garden, the cute kid having been changed into a tall, beautiful young woman. A large full moon was in the sky, hanging over her heads. She settled down onto a bench and sighed, rubbing her forehead a little. "More threats." She muttered. "More worries, more prophecies.." A tear slipped down her face as she rubbed her arms, shivering slightly. "Obsidian?" A male voice said. There was a flash of silver from an adjoining path. "What's wrong?" "Hi, Neo." Obsidian sighed, not bothering to wipe away her tears. "Garnet had another prophecy today about the future. Beryl's growing so strong.Garnet says she'll come within a year.we won't even be sixteen." She bent her head and let out a small sob. Neo sat down on the bench beside her and patted her shoulders. Obsidian immediately curled up towards him. "I'm so tense all the time-I have to worry about my planet and my people- and I know that when the war comes I'll fight to protect Pluto and Serenity and Mars and everyone-but I don't want to die!! And I just know that I won't be strong enough!!" She began sobbing into his chest. Neo wrapped his arms around her and murmured into her air, gently stroking her arms. "Hey, hey, now, is this the crazy girl I know?" He teased gently. "Come on, now, Obsidian. I've never seen you cry before, it's scaring me." "Everyone expects me to always be chipper and bright." Obsidian whimpered. "But I'm sick of it! Topaz breaks down all the time, but no one thinks that's weird! Even Diamond and Amethyst cry occasionally! But no, I can't!" She began sobbing again. Neo gently raised her head with one hand. His thumb wiped away the tears stains on her cheeks. "Hey, come on, now. You're allowed to cry, but it truly doesn't become you." He grinned. Obsidian laughed a little and wiped her eyes. "Oh, thank you ever so much." Her eyes caught the moonlight as she looked back up, the light reflecting off the still unshed tears in her eyes. Neo's breath caught in his throat. "You've changed a lot." He said, gently touching her hair. Obsidian blushed "Hey, stop it!" She scolded. "Stop staring at me like that!" Her blush grew even deeper and made her cheeks look something like rose petals. Neo grinned at her. Then, before Obsidian could move, he bent down and very gently pressed his lips to hers. Obsidian yanked away and stared at him with wide eyes. Neo blushed a little and began to stammer. Obsidian ignored this, and moved forward again, black eyes intent on his. Carefully, she returned the favor. When she moved to back away, Neo's hands came to grab her arms and hold her still. She gasped a little, but did not try to back away. The two remained together, locked in a kiss. * "Our first kiss." Obsidian whispered. Her eyes fluttered open and she stared at Tuxedo Onyx. "Neo." "Obsidian-chan." Onyx whispered. A jolt of pain hit him hard and he gasped, falling backwards. "Tuxedo Onyx!!!" Obsidian cried, clutching his hand. "Neo!! Hang in there! Don't leave me! Oh, god, don't leave me!" She frantically rubbed his hand across her face. "Neo! My prince." Diamond suddenly landed on Tuxedo Onyx's other side. "Is he alright?!" "Aside from the fact that he's now Tuxedo Shish-kebab, he's fine!!!!" Obsidian snapped, never looking at her. "Right." Diamond said, sweat-dropping. "Sorry." She aimed her hands at the two holes in the man. "Everlasting Love Purify!!!" Onyx gasped as the light entered his body. He glowed a bright gold for an instant before the light exited his body, sewing up the gashes in his flesh last of all. Onyx sighed and laid back, eyes closing. His breath came in slow, deep inhales. Diamond sighed tiredly. "He'll be okay." Obsidian flung her arms around Diamond and clutched her tightly before turning eye back to Tuxedo Onyx. "He can't stay here." She turned pleading eyes on Diamond. "Do you think.?" Diamond sighed. "All right, fine. But tonight only, and my parents CANNOT find out." Obsidian smiled in relief. She carefully pulled Tuxedo Onyx up and leaned him on her shoulder, wrapping her arm around his back and draping his arm on her slender frame. Diamond did the same on his other side. Together, the two girls leapt away across the city to Diamond's large place.  
* * * Much later, Tuxedo Onyx awoke in a strange bed. At first, he remembered nothing. Then the events before his healing came back full blast. He gingerly touched his chest were the spears had hit, and looked around the strange room. He was in a very large circle bed with a pretty, puffy, lavender and cerulean cover and many blue-covered pillows. The walls of this room-both of which were approximately fifty feet away from each other- were covered with realistic murals of islands and cool tropical oceans. The ceiling had been painted blue and had puffy white clouds on it. Onyx took in all this in one sweeping glance. "Where am I?" He asked softly. "So you're awake." A soft, terribly familiar voice said from his other side. "About time. You've been asleep for five hours." "Obsidian." Tuxedo Onyx stated, sitting up in the bed. "Where am I?" "At the house of a friend's." Obsidian replied, scooting her chair closer to the bed. "Are you all right?" "I believe so." Onyx said, letting the covers slip off his chest. He blinked as he realized his top was gone. Quickly, he touched his face, making sure the mask was still there. "We had to remove your coat and shirt." Obsidian said in explanation. "Our friend didn't want her bed getting all bloody. You have a nice chest, by the way." She grinned evilly. Tuxedo Onyx blushed and carefully covered himself up again. "May I have them back?" "Nope!" Obsidian sang, grin going wider. "They're far too nasty. You'll have to borrow a shirt. Course, you have to ask your hostess nicely." "Where is she?" He asked. "Hello!" Diamond sang on cue, coming in the room from a large door. She smiled at him. "Good to see you back in the real world, Onyx. We were all worried." "All?" Onyx looked back at the door. The rest of the scouts were there. They all grinned and waved merrily. "We were worried-Obsidian said that at one point you were much like a pincushion." Garnet commented. "Except bigger." Amethyst pointed out. "Well, duh!" Emerald snorted. Tuxedo Onyx grinned a little. "Yeah, I guess I was." He looked at Diamond. "I suppose I owe you a debt of gratitude for healing me." Diamond shrugged. "Hey, it's nothing. You've saved Obsidian enough to make up for all healings, past and present." She turned away to begin typing something on a computer nearby. "You okay?" Onyx asked Obsidian in a low voice. She blinked. "Me?! Hey, who was the human voodoo doll?" She smiled at him. "I'm fine. Complete thanks to you." Tuxedo Onyx nodded, then hesitated, and glanced around. The Senshi all pretend to be very interested in the wallpaper. He bent close to Obsidian and whispered, "Should we tell.?" "About-" Obsidian gulped and laughed nervously. "Um, our past?" She began blushing a bright red. The scouts seemed even more interested in the walls. "Not yet, I guess." She stammered, rubbing the back of her head. "We could just keep it a secret." Onyx nodded, and grinned a little. "You're a good kisser, by the way." He whispered before leaning back and closing his eyes again. Obsidian went so red her head looked somewhat like a tomato. She quickly moved away, a bright smile lurking underneath her color. "Are you well enough to leave?" Diamond asked quietly. "No offense, but if my folks find you, they will freak." "Yeah, I guess so." Onyx said with a shrug. "Good." Diamond said, not turning around. Someone sprung up behind him to tie something tightly and quickly over his eyes. He started to yell, only to have his mouth covered by a gentle hand. "Hush." Obsidian said soothingly. "It's all right. Diamond just wants to keep her living quarters a secret, for her sake as well as yours." Onyx stopped struggling as Obsidian removed her hand. "You've got some strange friends." He muttered. "I'm the strangest!" Obsidian said brightly. He felt the softest touch on his cheek, like someone had gently pressed a silken rose petal there for a brief instant. "Obsidian, you take his right side, Sapphire, his left." Diamond ordered. "And for pete's sake, don't drop him or knock him into a wall." Sapphire grinned as she grabbed his arm. "Can we throw him into things?" "Sapphire!" Obsidian scolded. "I would prefer you not do that." Onyx said politely. Sapphire grinned at the blindfolded man. "Not like you could stop me." "Can I have someone else holding me?" Tuxedo Onyx asked. "Sapphire, you drop him, I will take personal revenge!" Obsidian growled. "Like what?!" Sapphire challenged. "I'll make Diamond use the Look on you!!!" Obsidian said, deadly serious. "You wouldn't!" Sapphire gasped. "Enough!" Diamond snapped. "Move him to the window!" "The window?" Onyx asked. "Hold your breath." Amethyst advised from behind them. "Ready?" Diamond asked. "Jump!" The ground beneath Onyx's feet promptly vanished as Obsidian and Sapphire leapt forward. He yelled but did not struggle. A few seconds later, they had landed on the ground and were leaping off again. "This is very disconcerting." He remarked after a few minutes. "We're almost far enough." Obsidian said. For the past five minutes, the two had been going in a number of strange directions to confuse him. It had completely worked. "Think this is good?" Sapphire asked a second later. "Most definitely." Obsidian said with a giggle. She gently undid the blindfold and took it off. "Surprise!" Tuxedo Onyx blinked in the bright sunlight and looked around. They were back in the park, almost exactly where he'd saved Obsidian. He turned around, "Thank-" Obsidian and Sapphire were gone. "-you?" He sighed and smiled a little as he walked off into the park alone. From a nearby tree, Obsidian watched Onyx go, touching the bandages still bound around her shoulders. "I'll see you soon, Neo. I'll see you soon."  
* * * Halfway across the park, Chase finally stuck out his blond head from the bushes, scraping leaves and twigs from his hair. A look of abject wonder and disbelief was on his face. "Those girls-they're the Sailor Senshi." "And Elisha..is the scout I'm in love with.."  
  
Ummmmmm.yeah. I forgot how sappy I used to write things. *ducks head and grins* Nice reviews, please? Or I'll cry. And you won't like me when I'm crying. 


	18. They know the secret? Scout's Identities...

Chapter Eleven  
  
"Your plan failed." Uther said, matter-of-fact. "I am aware of that, Uther." Ithengil snapped. "Thank you ever so much for pointing it out, now shut up!" He waved the staff threateningly. Uther backed off. "Even after I sent the hunter android after them it failed." Ithengil mused. "I had hoped the demons would destroy them and then go steal energy. Oh, well, can't have everything. But to have one of my precious hunter-babies destroyed..and by that cape boy, too.." "We picked up a very strange energy reading coming from both Tuxedo Onyx and Obsidian towards the end of the fight." Katrina reported from her station by a hologram computer. "An old type, and very powerful." "Onyx and Obsidian, hmmm?" Ithengil thought deeply. "Let me see, what was so special about them-" "They were in love in the Silver Millennium." Damon said quietly, fingering something and leaning against a pillar. Ithengil cackled. "Ah, yes. Damon, our little secret agent, spying on the lives of innocent Senshi. In love, hmmm?" He laughed again. "Good! Now we know Obsidian at least has a weakness. That flash was probably their memories returning!" He rubbed his hands together gleefully. "A mixed blessing." Damon said, continuing to study what was in his hand. "That will make Obsidian stronger at the same time." Ithengil waved his hand at Damon. "Nothing to worry, about, Damon. All we must do is find Onyx, then threaten to hurt him to her. Easy!" "One problem, though, Ithy." Jedin said sarcastically. "We know nothing about the rose-throwing boy. He shows up, fights a little, vanishes. All we know is that he's of the line of the Therinan. A guardian." "He's got to have some sort of energy reading..." "It's not likely." Damon ignored the rest of the conversation. His eyes were too busy fastened on the ripped bandage he was stroking in his hand.  
* * * Angie awoke with a start in the huge bed that Onyx had occupied a few hours before. Someone had touched her shoulder. "Whassamatta?" She groaned sleepily, turning away to bury under the covers again. A shadow rudely yanked the covers off her form. She groaned and reached for them again. "Diamond! Wake up!" Emerald hissed, shaking her slightly. Angie groaned again, but sat up, rubbing her eyes. "Emerald? What're you doing here at this time of night?" "We need you for patrol now." "WHAT?!" Emerald clapped a hand over Angie's mouth to stop her furious ranting. "Shut up!!" She hissed. Angie grouchily obeyed, folding her arms. "It's a school night, Emerald!! Tomorrow's Tuesday!! School day!!" "You think I want to be up either?!" Emerald demanded. "Come on, you dozy lump! There's a group of demons on the west side of town!!!" Grumbling, Angie reached for her transformer. She glared at Emerald. "I am so going to hurt you one of these days."  
* * * It was an exhausted Diamond who de-transformed and tumbled into her bed that morning. She had spent all night scouring the streets and had "slain" a group of demons and one errant vampire, totaling to ten. She curled up in her bed, pulling covers and sheets over her, and snuggled down, ready for a few hours of rest. Right beside her, her alarm clock went off. "Not. Happening." She groaned, hitting the thing hard before unplugging it and throwing it across the room. "Not happening." "Angie, honey?" A dark brown head poked into the room. "The alarm went off, dear. Time to wake up." "Mommy, can't I be late for school today?" Angie complained, blocking her ears with pillows. "I had a really bad night." "Tough, dear!" Her mother said cheerfully, tugging the blankets off her. "Come on, now! It's a big new day!" Humming happily, she skipped out of the room. "I hate my life." Angie muttered, dragging herself to the closet.  
* * * By lunchtime, her sleepiness had worn off, though she was still grumpy and snapped at people if they surprised her. Which Mary unfortunately did. "HIYA, ANGIE!!!" Angie jumped nearly a foot in the air. She whirled around in her seat to glare as Mary sat beside her. "Do you mind?!?! I got maybe four hours of sleep last night!" "Oh, come on, we all had a bad night!" Mary said soothingly, patting her head. Angie groaned and let her head bang down on the table. "Ow. But still.not fair." She yawned a little. "Table.nice and soft." "Oh, no you don't!" Mary yelled in her ear. "WAKE UP!!" Again, Angie nearly shot to the ceiling. "Stop doing that!!!" She yelled at Mary when she came down. Mary cackled and began eating her lunch. "Grouchy today, are we?" Marisa asked, coming up with Malorie and Rachelle. "It's your fault." Angie muttered, taking a morose bite of sandwich. "Waking me up like that." "Hey, you volunteered for the second shift!" Marisa said, putting her lunch across from Angie. "I wasn't going to do yours and mine!" "Why not?" Angie muttered. "It would have been the nice thing to do." Malorie lightly smacked her friend's head. "Come on, Angie. I had to do the second shift too." Indeed, her normally happy face had a few crease lines in it, like someone who had been up way too late. "As did I." A grouchy voice said. Lacie slid in on Angie's other side, eyes red and hair messy. "Jeez. Takes me long enough to get to sleep anyway, probably only got about an hour." She yawned and closed her eyes. "Wake me when the lunch bell rings." "Ask someone else to." Angie muttered, closing her eyes also and putting her head down. A large gong appeared in the air beside Mary, along with a beater. She grabbed both, then held the gong just between Lacie and Angie. She grinned evilly, and raised the beater. Lacie and Angie shrieked and leapt up as the gong resounded in their ears. "CUT IT OUT!!!" Lacie yelled. "How'd you get that gong, anyway?!" "This is the lovely world of anime." Angie muttered, banging on the side of her head. "The author can make us do anything and have anything happen." "Oh, yeah. Right." Lacie glared at Mary. "Baka! You could have made us deaf!" Mary grinned evilly, the gong vanishing. "But you feel awake now, right?" "Yes," Lacie gritted, "but that was STILL unnecessary!!" "Oh, piffles." Mary said, batting her eyes. "Nonsense!" She began humming to herself as she munched on a ho-ho. "You okay?" Rachelle asked uncertainly. Mary grinned extremely brightly. "Never better!! Why?!" In her mind, she kept replaying the thought of Onyx's lips, so close to her ear, whispering, "You're a good kisser." "You've been on cloud nineteen and a half since yesterday!!!" Rachelle shouted accusingly. "All right, fess up!! What happened between you and Onyx?! You've had that glazed look since yesterday!!" Mary sighed a little, smile lurking on her features. "Nothing, really. He just-complimented me, on something." "Uh-huh." Rachelle snorted. "Yeah, right." The other girls nodded in agreement. "What?" Mary asked uncertainly. "YOU ARE IN FREAKING LOVE WITH HIM!!!!" All of them yelled, making the cafeteria go quiet for a moment before the noise picked up again. "Me?!" Mary said in shock, not realizing her face had gone a revealing red. "I'm not!" "You are SO!!!!!" Lacie yelled, fully awake now. "You're blushing! Your face is all red!" Mary hastily attempted to cover her face. "So what?!" She yelled back. "Like any guy'd like me?!" "He certainly seemed VERY friendly." Marisa said teasingly. "What'd he whisper to you that made you look like a strawberry?" "NOTHING!!!" Mary yelled, a lot louder than she meant to. Again the cafeteria fell momentarily silent. "Look, would you guys shut up?!" Mary hissed. "It's none of your business!!" "Oh, yes, it is." Angie said with a malicious grin. "We will dissect every atom of your love life until you are a mass of jelly on the floor, begging for mercy!" "Not happening." Mary said firmly, crossing her arms. All the girls sighed sadly. "Hey, where's Elisha?" Marisa asked suddenly, looking around.  
* * * "Let-go-of me!!" Elisha hissed, desperately trying to free herself from the strong hand wrapped around her wrist. "We need to talk." Chase told her in a low voice, close to her ear. Elisha melted a little at the sound of his husky voice, but pretended not to care. "About what?!" She demanded. "Look, I'm sorry for the way my friends treated you the other day, but we were expecting someone and-" Chase didn't want to hear it. He simply began dragging Elisha along out of the cafeteria. "Let go of me!!" She shrieked. "Did you suddenly go back to caveman or something?! Have off!" Chase ignored her small fist beating against his frame. He hauled her along until they were through the doors, then slammed her up against the wall. Elisha winced and looked at him with large, frightened blue eyes. "What do you want?" She whispered. Chase glared at her. "Look, I know your secret, okay, Elisha? So no more tricks." "M-my secret?!" No way! He can't! She laughed nervously. "What secret? I don't have any-" "I know who you are, Sailor Sapphire!!!" Chase hissed at her. Elisha flinched, trying to cover her guilty expression too late for it to have been unnoticed. "I-I don't know what you're talking about-" Elisha began. Chase shook her slightly. "I saw you transform, damn it!! You and your friends! Angie, Mary, Marisa, Lacie-" "Shut up!" Elisha cried, clapping her hand over his mouth. "All right, fine! Just-shut up, okay?!" She glanced around nervously, but the halls were empty and silent. "You saw us-transform?" She whispered. Chase nodded grimly. "And fight the demon, not to mention demon horde-" Elisha abruptly smacked his chest. "Hentai!! We lose our clothes!!" She winced as she cradled her hand and looked up at him furiously. "And you're too hard! Jeez, what are you made out of, brick?!" "It's called working out-and I noticed you lost your clothes." Chase drawled, a smirk creeping onto his face. "Ugh!" Elisha hit him again. "You pervert!" She turned away, trying to move past him. A hand attached to an arm hit the wall an inch from her. She recoiled, then glared at Chase's smirking face. "All right, are you going to blackmail me now or something?!" She demanded. "Because may I remind you I AM Sailor Sapphire and have the power to kick your butt from here to Mexico!!!" "So you admit it?" Chase said, eyes dark. "You already knew. Can't deny it anymore." Elisha said with a sigh, adjusting her glasses. "So what do you want?" Chase blinked. "What do I-want?" "Money, jewels, homework done?" Elisha glared at him. "To keep you quiet?" Chase blinked again. "I can keep quiet on my own, thank you very much! I- just-" he blushed slightly. "I wanted to make sure you're all right. That you know what you're doing." "Me?" Elisha squeaked, fiddling with her glasses and blushing. "You're worried about me?!" "Well-yeah." He admitted. "Don't take it personally or anything, it's just-all those demons-" "Hey, I'm a Sailor Scout, remember?" Elisha asked gently. "I can handle myself. Not to mention I have the most butt-kicking-est friends this side of the galaxy." "Yeah, I got the gist that your friend Lacie would pretty much pound me if she found out." Chase said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Darn right." A cold voice side from behind them. Chase found himself getting hauled away from Elisha quicker than he could blink. Angie and Malorie jumped in front of their friend, faces grim, as Lacie and Marisa flung him against the wall. "Creep!" Lacie raged, shaking her fist at him. "What were you trying to do to our Elisha?!" She began to raise her fist. "Lacie-it's all right." Elisha said, putting up a hand. "He knows." "Knows what?!" Angie demanded, looking back at her. She stopped, did a double take, and her eyes went wide. "Oh my god. You didn't." "Didn't what?!" Marisa asked. She gasped and turned to stare at Elisha. "Elisha-" "He saw us transform." Elisha said calmly, adjusting her glasses. "Possibly because someone didn't make sure he was either properly knocked out or at a reasonable distance!" She looked calmly at Lacie. Lacie blushed. "We were pressed for time, remember?! I did the best I could!!" She glared at Chase as if she completely blamed him. "I told you to get out of there anyway!!! Eavesdroppers seldom hear or see anything pleasant!!" "I was bloody confused!" Chase growled. "I had no idea you could take care of yourselves with that-thing-around!!! I was worried, for God's sake." Lacie had nothing to say to this. She merely cracked her knuckles and scowled. "Wait a second!" Angie said suddenly, eyes narrowing. "You saw us transform?!" Chase nodded. "HENTAI!!!!!!" Angie screeched, leaping at him. "BAKA!!!! HENTAI!!!!! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!!!!!" An intrusion from Elisha was the only thing that saved Chase's life. As Angie flew past her she grabbed a lock of her hair. Angie wailed and grabbed her scalp. "Elisha, let go!!" She growled. "I'm-going-to-kill- him!!!" "Angie, calm down and chill!" Elisha said, yanking her friend back and making her eyes water in pain. "You are not going to kill Chase. He knows our secret. He's one of us." "WHAT?!?!" Chase, Angie and Lacie all yelled at the same time. "Shhhh!" Malorie hissed. "I'm not a Sailor Scout!" Chase roared softly. "He doesn't have our powers!" Lacie protested. "I'M GOING TO MURDER HIM!!!!!" Angie boomed, making no attempt to lower her voice whatsoever. "You are not." Elisha stated calmly. "And he may not be a scout, but he knows our secret. Like Kyle." "SO?!" Angie demanded. "Kyle is Rachelle's boyfriend! They love each other! Besides, she can keep a close watch on him." Suddenly a crafty look came into her eyes. "Unless one of us wants to date him," she went on, much calmer now, "He can't know." "What're you going to do?" Chase snorted. "Modify my memory?" "If possible." Angie replied coldly. Come on, Elisha or Chase..take the bait.. "No one messes with my memory." He uttered frostily. Angie shrugged. "Then you'll have to be constantly with one of us." Come on!!! I know you like her!! I'm the Scout of Love!!! I know these things!!! Now GO get her, you idiot!!! I'm laying this out perfectly for you!!!!! "As girlfriend and boyfriend or something?" He inquired, finally getting the same look she had. "It'd be easiest." Angie said serenely, fighting excitement. Yes! Yes! Come on!! Go for it!! "No way." Chase said calmly. "I won't just sell my heart to anyone." "Then I'll assign someone to watch you." Angie warned. Damn you, you idiot!! You couldn't just work with me here!! Chase sighed and slumped. "Fine. But can I just choose someone to watch over me?" He turned pleading eyes on Angie, not bothering to hide the spark of mischief. Why, you dirty scoundrel!! Angie thought, grudging admiration in her mind. You plan to seduce her on your own!! "Fine." Angie said, unable to hide the slight smile that flitted over her features as she gave him a small wink. "Choose." Chase pretended to inspect Malorie, Lacie, Marisa, and Elisha. Lacie was calmly cracking her knuckles, Malorie was giggling uncontrollably, and Marisa gave him a deeply suspicious look. Elisha did not look at Chase, but instead at the ground, half wishing, half praying. Please don't let him choose me-choose me! Choose me! No! No! Don't! I take that back!! "Sapphire." Chase announced calmly. Elisha looked up, mixed emotions moving across her face like lightning. NO!!! I said no, you idiot!!! Wait-I'll watch him? Spend time with him? YES!!! No-wait-bad Elisha! Bad Elisha!! Bad thoughts!! "What? Why me?" She asked out loud. "You saved my life from the wrath of Miss Diamond, here." Chase said, with a courteous bow to Angie. "No offense meant." "None taken." Angie replied. "But watch my transformation again, pal, and you will find yourself in several different pieces before you know it." Chase laughed nervously before strolling over to drape an arm over Elisha's shoulders. "So since you're already my protector, I figure you can be my watcher too." Elisha desperately tried to hide a deep blush. "Fine. Sure, I guess." Chase beamed. "Good girl." He grinned lasciviously at her. Elisha's face went red. She shrugged his arm off and retreated back into the cafeteria. "Watch it, Chase." Lacie warned. "You make one little move on our Elisha and I will personally bash you from top to bottom. Scout's promise." Lacie glared at him. Chase rubbed his head a little and nodded very respectfully. "I heard that." Angie said in amusement. "And I tell you this, Chase-I gave you this chance on an open platter. As the Scout of Love, I know you like her. And therefore, you'd better take this opportunity. All I ask is that she still be-intact-all right?" "I think I made a definite mistake finding out who you lot are." Chase muttered, rubbing his head. "Damned if I do, and damned if I don't." "Your have fallen into our group, it seems." Malorie said with a giggle. "And no one can escape. Your every secret is now to be figured out and monitored courtesy of us. And be warned: we are vicious." "You are never going to recover." Marisa said, frown melting into an evil grin. "NOODLES!!" Mary shrieked suddenly, bouncing out from the hall. She abruptly hugged Chase. "Hah! You're obeying my wishes! Good! Welcome to our gang!" She began skipping about the group, humming happily. "Like a frog!" She cried before going into the cafeteria. "Of all the people I find hardest to believe is a scout." Chase said, staring after the departing girl. "It has got to be her." "Very true." Angie said, nodding sensibly. "She's insane-" Her left foot caught on the back of her right and she fell forward. "Ow!" "Aside, of course, from you." Chase said, with a sigh. "And this is our leader." Lacie groaned. "Klutz." "Can someone please help me off the floor?" Angie asked pitifully. "Hello?"  
* * * "We are letting Elisha alone with that creep?!!?!" Rachelle shrieked a few minutes later. "Hello?! A teenage man and an innocent, rather pretty girl?! He'll have her on the floor in seconds!" "Not unless he wants instant death." Angie said calmly. Lacie nodded in agreement, scowling. "And Elisha's no doll, Shellie. She can very much take care of herself." "But she likes him!!!" Rachelle roared. "Her common sense might be overrun-oh god-" "Chill!" Malorie said, patting Rachelle on her back. "Calm down. Elisha won't do that. Besides, she'll mostly be in Sapphire-form, I hope." "What difference does that make?!" Rachelle demanded. "You cannot get out of those evil suits unless you rip them apart with some evil weapon." Malorie said with a laugh. "I tried to this morning. Too tired to realize all I had to do was de-transform. Couldn't make the slightest tear in it." "So what happens if we need to go to the bathroom in it?" Marisa wondered, popping a French fry into her mouth. This question caused sweat-drops from everyone. "Let's not go there, all right?" Lacie asked, munching on a cookie. Elisha came back to the table from where she had been talking to Chase. Her face was still a nice shade of pink. "Hey, gang." She said, scooting in between Angie and Marisa. She calmly folded her arms and looked around the table, smiling. "All right." Mary said after about five seconds of this. "We'll bite: what's up?" Elisha grinned, then opened her backpack and slammed something onto the cafeteria table. The girls all stopped eating to stare. "Where'd you get the laptop?!" Lacie demanded. "Special gift from Lune and Demetri." Elisha said, flipping it open. "I found it in the gym yesterday, and they said it was meant for me!!" She began typing something quickly on the keyboard. Angie peered over her shoulder. "What's it do??" Elisha hit a final key and sat back, arms crossed and a very pleased look on her face. Angie looked at the screen and gasped. "You hacked into the PENTAGON!?!?!" She screeched. "Shhhhhhh!!" Elisha snapped, clapping a hand over her friend's mouth. She grinned evilly. "I do NOT believe you!!" Angie said, freeing her mouth. "That's just- jeez! No more! Get out of there RIGHT now." Elisha clicked a few buttons and the screen vanished back to her desktop- which happened to feature a large picture of Sailor Mercury. She sighed dramatically. "What else can you do?!" Marisa asked eagerly, leaning over also. "Is this just a regular computer?" Rachelle asked, touching the milky white surface gingerly. "Definitely not." Elisha said instantly. "How can you tell?" Malorie asked. Elisha began typing something furiously. After a few moments, something popped up on the screen. The girls stared at it, mouths gaping. "How many computer do you know that have complete information databases on generals, their attacks, and a way to hack into their megacomputer?" Elisha asked dryly. "Oh, my god." Angie whispered. "They have a computer? And they were supposed to be these high-tech advanced creeps." Elisha brought up a picture of a computer the size of a bus complete with chemical testing station and hologram emitter. "I think it's a little more advanced than ours." She said ironically. "Jeez." Rachelle muttered, rubbing her head. "This is incredible." "Do you think you could hack into their computer?" Angie asked, finally giving into her curiosity. "As easy as pie." Elisha replied, beginning to type furiously.  
* * * Damon raised his head as Katrina let out a shout from her place at the computers. "Mr. Ithengil, sir! You might want to see this!!" Ithengil began shuffling over to the computer, as did Spike and Uther. Uther got there first. He stared at the screen, then gasped. "We've got company!! Someone's hacking into our files!" He shoved Katrina away and began hitting several keys. "What?" Ithengil growled. "That's not possible! You said our files were hack-free!" "Tell that to the person going through them!!" Uther growled, pointing at a small blip on the screen. "Can you try and track the person?" Spike asked interestedly. "I can try." Uther growled, moving his fingers about and hitting several keys. He began to make a video connection back to whatever computer the hacker was using.  
* * * "Elisha-what's that?" Mary asked uncertainly, pointing over her shoulder at a quickly moving black dot across the screen. It was getting larger. "I don't know." Elisha said, frowning at it. She began typing a cross- reference furiously, then she gasped. "Everyone get out of sight! Move it!" She flung herself down under the table. The girls readily obeyed, but Marisa kept peeking at the screen. The information database suddenly erupted into blackness. There was a strange, pulsing light in the center. As Marisa watched, it grew into a head-shaped form-and then Uther's face appeared. "Holy-" Marisa quickly ducked out of sight. "Sapphire!!" She hissed. "I know, I know!!" Elisha hissed back, raising her hands to type something on the keyboard. "Who's there?!" The computer Uther snapped, glaring around. "Eep." Rachelle murmured, making sure she was well out of sight. "Strange place." The computer general muttered. "Lots of people." "Shut it down!!!" Angie hissed at Elisha. "I'm trying!" Elisha hissed back, still typing on the keyboard. "Who's there?!" Uther demanded. Angie sighed, then growled. "Mind your own business!" "Diamond!" Elisha gasped, clenching her hands. "What are you doing?!" Uther's head snapped around. "Sailor Diamond?" "Not coming out." Angie retorted, sounding as she always did, which fortunately sounded exactly like Sailor Diamond. "What's all this about?!" A voice boomed from behind them. "Oh, crap!!" Mary whispered. "Sapphire, shut it down!! Neo-Nazi alert!" Elisha quickly reached up an arm and banged the screen down onto the keyboard, just as Vice-Principal Nichols came striding over to their table. "What is that, girls?!" He demanded loudly. "Nothing, sir!" Elisha gasped, praying that he wouldn't call them by their names. "I'll be the judge of that!" Mr. Nichols said importantly, reaching over to flip up the top of the laptop. The girls immediately ducked again. Mr. Nichols and Uther stared at each other. "Just a game, sir!" Rachelle squeaked. "Well, laptops aren't allowed in this school, Miss-" Nichols began. Rachelle raised a hand. "Power of the fire, come to my bidding." She said in a low voice. "Erase this one's memory of the last five minutes. Let him walk on and ignore us. Thy mistress of flame and power commands thee." Mr. Nichols blinked at her. A glazed look came into his beady brown eyes. He waved to the girls and walked off with a vague, "Merry Christmas." "Rach-Garnet!!!!" Angie said indignantly. "Did you just erase his memory?!" "Yeah, so?" Rachelle replied. "I had to, Diamond!! Otherwise he would have gotten on our case big time. Now, Sapphire, get the heck out of there and put that thing away!" Elisha carefully pushed one more button. Uther's face disappeared with a pop. The screen went back to normal. "From now on, be extremely careful with that!" Angie scolded as Elisha turned it off and put it in her bag. "God, we almost got caught!! And I do not want the generals finding out who I am!!! That would most assuredly not be pleasant!!!" "We'd be atomized within three hours!" Mary said with a shudder. "Or less." Marisa said with a shudder. Malorie clapped a hand to her forward. "Of course you ALL know you've jinxed us now, right?!?!" She demanded. "Idiots!!! Now for certain they'll find out sometime!! Jeez!!" "What?" Elisha asked, bewildered. "YOU'VE ALL JUST CURSED US!!!!! YOU NEVER SAY YOU DON'T WANT SOMETHING TO HAPPEN!!!!! SOMEDAY IT WILL!!!!! THEY'LL FIND OUT!!!!!" Malorie wailed, burying her head in her arms. "Idiots!!!" "Think she's right?" Rachelle asked, watching the blonde wail and sob. "Certainly hope not." Lacie said, grinning a little. "Come on, Mal!! Chill! We won't get found out!" "YOU WENT AND JINXED US AGAIN!!!!!!" Malorie cried, glaring up at Lacie. "BAKA!!!" She began wailing, head buried under hair and a jumble of arms. "I think she's cracked." Mary said, watching her in fascination. "Most definitely."  
* * * After school, Elisha went to the cafeteria to wait for Chase. She closed her eyes, frantically trying to stop this insane flood of emotions swirling around in her stomach. Fear, attraction, even hatred-it was way too confusing for her to stomach. "WHAT am I doing?" She wondered out loud. "Why couldn't I have just said no way?" She kneaded her forehead in frustration. "Jeez, this is annoying..where's he live, anyway? What if the girls need me and I'm too far away? Why'd he have to find out about us?!?! Jeez!! Couldn't he have just obeyed and walked away?!" "Now, where would the fun in that be?" A drawling voice asked from behind her. Elisha stiffened and quickly turned, adjusting her glasses. "Hello, Chase." She said stiffly. "Hey, Sapphire." Chase returned, grinning. "What was that about me finding out?" "Why'd you have to." Elisha said truthfully, walking past him. "I mean, jeez! I could be with the girls, you could be with your friends-both of us could be much happier!" "So sorry you have to get stuck with me." Chase retorted teasingly, matching her stride. "But personally, I'd rather not be dead by tomorrow morning, as no doubt your friend Lacie would have me." Despite herself, Elisha giggled. "She's extremely mad at you, you know. I don't think I've ever seen her so steamed! Except-" She broke off. "Except in battle?" Chase asked. "Exactly." Elisha continued walking, sighing. "When she's in battle, she gets truly terrifying. Everyone does. Heck, even Garnet!!" "You looked pretty impressive yourself, back when you lot were destroying demons." Chase said smoothly, sensing the girl's doubt. "Me?" Elisha laughed. "You said that Mary was the one least cut out to be a scout, but I think I am! I can't ever mention how terrified I get going into battles, I hate pain, the generals scare the crap out of me-need I go on?" She sighed. "But you face it anyway." Chase pointed out. "True." Elisha said, a hint of smugness in her voice. "Hah. Me brave." She sighed and looked at him. "Where do you live anyway? And your parents! How will you explain me to them?!" Chase stiffened a little. "I won't need to." He said stiffly. "Why not?" Elisha asked, unaware of the change. "I never knew them." Chase said coldly. Elisha stopped with a gasp and looked up at him. "O-oh. I'm sorry." "I don't want your pity." Chase snarled, walking on. "I told you: I never even knew them anyway. I'm probably just some prostitute's brat who was conceived by some drunkard who left a handful of money and me behind!" The bitterness in his voice was so strong that Elisha stepped back. "Look, I just said I was sorry!" Elisha snapped, not to be deterred. "I'm sorry you never knew you parents and that you have to be alone, but I don't pity you!! You're not the first orphan in this world!!" "And I'm sure you know dozens." Chase sneered. "Well-no, but there are tons!" Elisha retorted. "You see them on the news all the time! So lay off on the self-pity!" Chase laughed harshly. "I never have pitied myself. It'll only kill you in this world. I saved up my money I got from the orphanage as an allowance, I ran away, and I made my living on my own sweat. My life's been nothing but hardship, but I pulled through, and now I'm one of the most popular athletes in school." The arrogance from the first time she had met him was creeping back into his voice now. "So what?!" Elisha shot back. "I don't envy you, you know!! Maybe you're popular and beautiful and have lovely sluttish girls all over you, but I've got my brain, my friends, and my powers. I don't need anything else. And another thing: I always thought you were a self-centered, egotistical jerk, you know?! And I think I was righter than I thought!!" With a glare, she turned her back on Chase and began to walk away. Inside, she was screaming at herself for being so cruel. "You think I'm beautiful?" Chase drawled, coming after her. Elisha turned back to look at him Chase gave her a grin, a real smile that she hadn't ever seen. Elisha stared at him, then began to laugh as the neared the front doors out of the school. "You shut up. I can already see this is going to be a huge hassle." "Maybe I am a self-centered jerk, but I'm a very handsome self-centered jerk." Chase teased. Elisha swatted him as they walked out of the school into the afternoon sunlight. "DARN YOU, NEO!!!!!!" Someone roared. There was a flash of black and auburn as someone began to race by. The blur stopped to be revealed as the same guy that had aggravated Mary a few days ago. He smiled at Elisha. "Hello, there, Elisha." "Hey, Neo." Elisha replied, waving at him. "Friend of yours?" Chase murmured in her ear as he offered a hand. "Chase Spawnborn." "The name's Neo." Neo replied, offering his hand. "And yes, Elisha and I are acquaintances, though I do not believe of the kind you are thinking of." Elisha giggled. Chase blinked, then grinned. "You're strange. I think we'll get along." "NEO!!!! GET BACK HERE!!!" Neo sighed. "Excuse me. Miss Chimp is still after me." He took off just as Mary came racing in. "Where is he?!" She demanded furiously. "Oooh, Neo!! You give me back my Sailor Moon manga now!!!!" "Come get it, Chimp-girl!!" Neo taunted from fifty feet away. Mary let out a yell of fury and victory and charged after him. "He seemed so nice a moment ago." Chase murmured, watching Mary chase Neo, who was fortunately very fast. "He and Mary have their-differences." Elisha said with a shrug. "Like the Arabs and the Israelis have minor conflicts." Angie said dryly, coming up. She managed to trip over her own feet and go tumbling to the ground. "Ow." She sat up, rubbing her shins, and calmly looked at Chase. "He and Mary have been enemies since day one, which was only three days ago." She sighed. "A relationship bound for murder, sooner or later. And probably that of Neo's. Good thing he can run fast." "COME BACK HERE!!" Mary screeched as she and Neo ran past, Neo a few feet ahead. "YOU GIVE ME IT BACK!!" "Have to catch me first!" Neo yelled tauntingly, running faster than ever. "Tough guy, eh?" Mary growled furiously. Before she knew it, she had slipped into Sailor Obsidian's strength and speed. Quick as the wind, she tore after Neo, this time gaining on him steadily. Neo looked back to see her gaining, a look of abject madness on her face. To everyone's surprise, he laughed. Even more incredible, he sped up even more. The two were now nothing more than black blurs moving quick as lightning over and around the school grounds. "Just give it back and I'll only maim you!!" Mary yelled. She was still gaining on Neo, though much more slowly now. "Not a chance, chimp-girl!" Neo called back. Mary growled, then took a flying leap. She tackled him, grabbed the object in his hand, and used his chest as a springboard to leap into the air and land a few feet away. "Hah!" She crowed, raising her manga to the sky. "Mine!" Neo grinned from his place on the ground. Mary looked at him smugly, tossed her head, then calmly walked away. "Crazy." Malorie commented, shaking her head as she walked up to the stunned observers. "De both o' dem. Cra-zee!" Angie sighed and got up from the ground, dusting her rump. "Sorry to do this, Chase, but you need to come with us." "What?" Chase demanded. "Why?" "Elisha needs to come to the gym with us to train, and you stay with her." Angie told him. Then, much quieter, "Do it, or else Lacie will have your hide." She turned and began to walk away. Chase sighed. "Fine. All right. But I'll have you all know that I'm no traitor to the human race." Angie stopped and whirled back around, eyes snapping blue sparks. "I believe you, Chase, but I've been to a possible future. I saw people there who-who abandoned their race to save their own hides. I'd hate to make that mistake on anyone who finds our secret." Her voice was deadly cold. Chase gulped. "Remember when I said I didn't think you could be a scout? I take it all back." "I'm very protective of my friends." She went on softly, glaring at him. "If you'd seen half of the things I have, you'd be overprotective too." With a final look, she turned and began walking away again. "Is-is she okay?" Chase asked uncertainly. "She was so bright and happy earlier-" "Diamond's-seen things the rest of us haven't." Elisha explained softly. "By a general's plot she went into a future where she disappeared and saw what it was like. She saw Rachelle as an old woman that chose to die instead of submitting to Rubian, and had to kill us because we had been forced into evil service." "Who's Rubian?" Chase asked, confused. Malorie sighed and hung her head. "Oh boy. Here we go again."  
* * * Rachelle managed to give the punching bag a mighty kick that sent it spinning up away. She leapt back before it could knock her down and beamed at the scouts. "Yes!" "Excellent, Rachelle, quite excellent!" Demetri exclaimed, watching Rachelle proudly. "Go Shellie!" Marisa cheered from the trapezes. "That's our little psychic." Mary crooned, stroking her manga book. Rachelle grinned proudly. "Thank you, Demetri. Thanks guys." She lifted herself up to rest on the tops of the monkey bars and grinned down at everyone. Chase eyed Demetri and Lune suspiciously. "Did that cat just talk?" He asked Elisha. "He most certainly did." Lune said snootily. She had been furious that someone else had found out about the Senshi's identities aside from Kyle, and had given Lacie a severe scolding. Chase's eyes grew to the size of saucers, then he grinned. "Oh, this is going to be fun." "Don't. Try. Anything." Lune warned him, extending razor-sharp claws. "We bear the marks of messing with Lune." Mary said, showing small scars around her wrist from where Lune's claws had been embedded in her from their first meeting. Angie and Lacie also revealed similar scars on arms and ankles. "Lune's got a temper as fierce as Hades himself." Lacie said with a laugh. "And don't make me give you another dose." Lune growled, face and tone affectionate despite the threat. "Lacie, you next." Lacie made sure Chase was watching before she calmly walked over to the punching bag and swung her arm back. She let loose a blow that sent the punching bag sailing off its supports and banging into the nearby wall, splitting into at the seams. The girls cheered as Lune and Demetri sighed. "Third one!" Demetri sighed. "Could you at least try to not destroy them, Lacie?" Lacie grinned, then looked over at Chase, then at Elisha, then pointedly at Chase again. She raised her fist and blew a little dust off it, eyes hard on his. Chase got the meaning loud and clear, and gulped. "Oh, chill out, Lacie." Angie said as Malorie and Elisha replaced the punching bag. She walked over to it and gave it a punch of her own. Again the bag went sailing away to burst after knocking into the wall. She grinned at Chase's expression. "We're not exactly weak little dolls, you know. Takes strength and brains to fight evil." "The same goes for you also, Angie!" Lune scolded. "Stop breaking our punching bags, they're not unlimited, you know!!" "I thought they grew from trees." Lacie said innocently. Lune muttered something under her breath while Demetri muffled his giggles with a cough. "Oddest bunch." Chase muttered. "I personally think you are all insane." "Quite right." Malorie said in agreement. "But take notice: we are insane Sailor Scouts. Much superior to your regular loony." "And the fate of the world rests in your hands." Chase sighed. "We are all going to die." "You sound like Elisha." Marisa said cockily. "Doom, death, and destruction. Cheer up! We've won so far, and we've managed to seriously annoy some generals." She jumped off from her perch on a trapeze and flipped several times before landing in front of him. "Speaking of doom and destruction." Rachelle murmured, raising her head and closing her eyes as if listening to a far off call. "They're coming." "Baddies?" Mary asked. The joking mood was vaporized in an instant. Each girl was rigid, expressions of concern or ferocity on each face. "Yes." Rachelle whispered, turning her head a little. Her eyes snapped open as she stared off in a certain direction. "It's.back at our school.." "Uh-oh." Malorie whispered. "But-no one's there now, right? No problems." "HELLO?!?!" Rachelle screeched. "Remember that lovely scene with Elisha's computer?!" "So?" Elisha said defensively. "That was several hours ago!" Rachelle growled angrily. "Think about it! If Uther or one of the others recognized where we were." "Yeah, but it was a while ago!" Elisha protested again. "Hidden cameras?! Video recordings?!" Rachelle pointed out, almost shaking in fury. "Come ON, people!! Shake a leg!!" "Jeez, all right, already!!" Lacie growled. "Take a chill pill! And you- " She pointed at Chase's guileless face. "In the corner, pal, and no peeking, or I'll have Lune scratch your eyes out." "And I will, too." Lune muttered. Chase obediently stood in the corner, facing the wall. Behind him, he heard Angie say, "And Demetri, you keep an eye on him, too. You can take an eye each." There was a pause as the cats meowed in agreement, then, "Diamond Star Power!!" "Amethyst Star Power!!" "Obsidian Star Power!!" "Garnet Star Power!" "Emerald Star Power!!" "Topaz Star Power!!" Chase couldn't help it. He peeked over his shoulder as Elisha raised her jeweled transformer. "Sapphire Star Power!!" "MAKE UP!!!!" As a blinding flash of light hit his eyes, he could just make out the form of Elisha before going blind. She seemed to be staring at him, as were all the others. He dimly realized this before the light blinded him, taking over his sight. He didn't mind. It was wonderful, this light. Soothing. Healing. Beautiful. He sighed as it slowly began fading away. Sailor Amethyst was at his throat in an instant. "HENTAI!!! I SAW YOU!!!! YOU WERE PEEKING!!" "Only-at-Elisha!!" Chase choked. If he thought this would help at all, it didn't. "GET HIM!!!" Lune, Diamond, Topaz, Emerald, and Obsidian shrieked, leaping at Chase with hands (or paws) outstretched. "HELP!!!" Chase yelled, running as quick as he could for the other end of the gym. Unfortunately, all the girls and Lune were much faster. Lune struck first. She leapt up and embedded claws into his neck and shoulders and began scratching as best she could. Chase yelled and stopped, trying to shake her off. This only allowed the rest of the girls to catch up with him. There would have been considerably less of Chase today had Sapphire not intervened. "FREEZE!!!!!" She bellowed in a voice that would have made a charging elephant stop dead. The girls all froze, Lune in mid-scratch, and looked open-eyed and open-mouthed at Sapphire. "Leave. Him. Alone." Sapphire ordered. "You can punish him later. Right now we've got some serious Sailor business to attend to, so let's move!" "She's right." Diamond said reluctantly, releasing Chase's head. "Come on, scouts. Lune: wait till we get back, okay?" "I won't let him get away." Lune promised, giving Chase such an evil eye that he shuddered. "Thank you." Diamond said, walking towards the doors of the gym with the rest of the scouts following. An unpleasant surprise was waiting for them. As they exited the gym and began to make their way along the busy streets, someone grabbed Obsidian's arm. "Hey!" She spluttered, yanking her arm away. The other Senshi stopped. "What's the deal?!" A bald, pudgy, short man-the Mayor-blinked up at her. Several policemen were behind him. "Oh, good, the Sailor Senshi. We've been looking all over for you!" "What for?" Emerald asked suspiciously, not liking the look of the policemen. A hard-faced policeman came up behind the Mayor. "You are all under arrest." All the girls gasped. "Under arrest?! What for?!" Topaz demanded. "Destruction of public property, breaking into a college during school hours, disturbance of the peace-many minor misdemeanors." The Mayor said soothingly. "We may just need you to do a few hours of community service-" "Hah!" Amethyst snorted. "Buddy, our whole life is community service! We've got to go fight bad guys and save the world, now, so if you'll excuse us-" "And also a few days in an institution." The Mayor added, blinking at Amethyst. "My dear, what you are talking about does not exist! There can be no 'evil generals' or bad guys aside from our everyday law breakers such as yourselves!" He gestured to the policemen who came forward with handcuffs. "Okay, that's it." Obsidian growled. She leapt forward and knocked the Mayor down before punching the lead policeman in the gut. He went down with a surprised grunt. The other policemen leapt forward. "Jeez, Obsidian!" Amethyst grated, joining the fray. "You could have just chilled for a moment and we would have just jumped away!" "They pissed me off." Obsidian snapped, ramming her elbow into one's gut. "These guys are very annoying." Topaz agreed from her other side, bashing a guy in the face. "How dare they call us lawbreakers!!" Emerald roared, outraged. "After all we've done!" She shook a man by the collar before dropping him. "ENOUGH!!!!!" Diamond yelled, glaring at the four fighting Senshi. They stopped to stare at her. "Come on!!" She snapped fiercely. "We've got more important business to attend to at the school! Worry about these guys later! Move it!" "She's right!" Garnet gasped, clutching her head. "Oooh, man.how many.." "Lotsa baddies?" Sapphire asked quietly. Garnet gulped and nodded, massaging her head. "Yes. At least four or five." Amethyst grinned as she took off. "Fun. Party time."  
  
Ummmmmmmm. yeah.  
  
^_^ I'm having a great deal of fun going back and reading through this. Very enjoyable. I can't believe some of the things I used to write. This is one of my better works, but still.  
  
In case no one has figured this out, I might as well let out a secret: Things are going to heat up reeeeeal soon. Soon as I post the next chapter. Funfun!  
  
*bounces* 


	19. The Princesses' Remarkable Power

Spike looked around the darkened cafeteria, studying it carefully. "Where do you think that the computer was?" He asked. Uther frowned as he stalked around the tables. "Not sure. This entire damn place looks the same." He spat in disgust on the shiny floor and glared about. "It was in a corner." Jedin reflecting. "I could see the two walls coming together." "And there was a bulletin board behind it." Damon muttered, pointing to one on a nearby wall. "Look at all the people!" Ivy sang, gesturing about the empty cafeteria. "All the happy little kitties sitting down for an evening meal." Her voice trailed away as she sat down in a seat and pretended to be eating something. Damon stiffened and glanced around. "Does it seem like-someone's watching us?" He asked, giving the shadows a suspicious going-over. "Nope." Spike said, trying to get Ivy to stand up. "Why?" "Just a feeling." Damon muttered, rubbing an arm and continuing to look around.  
* * * "Uh-oh." Diamond whispered, seeing Damon glance around. The girls were huddled at the doors of the cafeteria, peeking in through small windows. "What?" Garnet asked. "I think-he senses us." Diamond hissed, pointing at Damon's twitching form. "Great." Emerald moaned softly. "This has to be a surprise mission if we're going to get anywhere!! Five-no, wait, there's Katrina!-six generals?! Not good! Very not good!!" "They can't figure us out!" Topaz whispered angrily. "Or we're done for!" "We're done for now, anyway!" Obsidian whirled and grabbed Diamond by her shoulders. "Diamond, come on! Think of something!" "I-I don't know!" Diamond whispered, wringing her hand and tearing away from the group. "I just don't know." She clenched her fists tightly together as tears began to come to her eyes. I can't lead them in there! It's like going to certain death! We're not strong enough!! I can't do this!! A single tear slipped down her face. A sudden burst of light illuminated the air in front of her. Diamond let out a small cry and moved back slightly. The light twisted in the air, molding itself into an unrecognizable shape. Green color began to shade the bottom half of the light while the top half remained a beautiful, glistening white. The light molded and shaped until finally something dropped into Diamond's outstretched palm. It was a rose. Sweet-smelling, beautiful, at its peak condition, and flawless in every way. Each white petal seemed to have been sculpted perfectly. The stem had a few thorns, but they did not seem to prick her skin. "Wow." Topaz breathed, coming up behind Diamond. "Oh, wow. Diamond, where'd you pull that from?!" "It's beautiful!" Amethyst exclaimed, gently touching a petal. "I-I think-" Diamond swallowed and calmed. "I think I'm supposed to use it." "How?" Garnet asked, puzzled. Diamond grinned a little. "Remember Tuxedo Kamen??" Obsidian stared at her and began to giggle. "Oh, no way. No way."  
* * * "I swear someone's watching us." Damon muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "Oh, Dames, get serious!" Katrina snorted, sitting at a table. "I mean, who would spy on us?" "Sailor Scouts?" Damon offered, glaring a little at Katrina. "What the.hey!" Spike shouted from a few tables away. "Take a look at this!" Damon turned around, and stared. A brilliant white rose was embedded in a table surface just behind him. It was perfect and truly beautiful-and he had a good idea where it had come from. "It's pretty!" Katrina gasped, leaning into touch it. The rose seemed to move a little when her fingers brushed against it. Katrina shrieked and darted back, sucking her thumb. "Ow! It bit me!" "Every rose has got its thorns, even the most beautiful ones!" A voice intoned from behind them all. "Of course, some flowers are ugly and nothing but thorns, and those are what we call weeds!" Another voice added. "Told you someone was watching us." Damon said to Spike, grinning triumphantly. "Gah." Spike muttered, staring at the tables a few feet away. "How'd they get in here?!" "Stop talking about us as if we weren't here!!" Emerald growled. "Really! Sporting bad manners, what!" Obsidian said cheerfully and in a British-accent. "Hey, remember? Generals aren't taught manners." Amethyst reprimanded. "Shame on you both!" Emerald and Obsidian pretended to hang their heads. Diamond grinned at her friends' antics. "Idiots." She said affectionately before hardening her voice and her eyes to look at the generals. "Hello, you lot. And a special thank-you to Ivy for sending me into the future that one day. A simply tremendous experience." Ivy cackled and looked extremely pleased with herself. "We are the Jewel Sailor Senshi, Princesses of Opal!" Sapphire said, glaring at them fiercely and quite unlike herself. "And in the name of Opal, we will punish you!" Garnet snapped. Obsidian giggled. "Yes! Punishment! Fun time!!" "You're in way over your heads." Jedin hissed, clenching his fists. "You know, this entire thing's getting really boring." Amethyst muttered. "DEATH CRESCENTS DESTROY!!!!" Jedin jumped back as the two boomerangs whizzed around him, slicing and dicing at his clothing and hair. "HAH!!" Amethyst crowed, leaping at him and knocking him down. She began punching his chest and head enthusiastically. "Get her!" Uther yelled, leaping for Amethyst. "Oh, no, you don't!!" Sapphire cried, leaping off the table as well and hitting Uther in the shoulder. She began to raise her hand. "ICY GLACIER FREEZE!!!!!" Uther shrieked as the attack froze onto his head, freezing him to the ground. Sapphire laughed in fiendish delight as she began kicking him in his legs and chest. "Hah! I'm not that weak little space cadet you injured a few weeks ago, am I?! Am I?!?!" "Sapphire!" Emerald yelled in warning. "Duck!" Sapphire did, and felt someone fly over her head. Emerald growled as Katrina tackled her to the ground. She began lashing out with her fists, hitting the general's red head. Katrina hissed and pummeled her stomach, a lot stronger than she would have expected from this ditz. She kneed her hard in the gut, grabbed her shoulders, and flipped her over her head. Katrina landed on the floor with a crack and a moan, but she lashed back with her hand, grabbing Emerald's hair and yanking hard. Emerald cried out, then grabbed a hunk of Katrina's hair and tugged hard as well. It was the cat fight of the ages as the two yanked back and forth. Garnet and Ivy were locked again in a staring contest, though this time a much more serious one. The two circled each other, not breaking eye contact, a mental battle raging. Ivy was trying to take over Garnet's brain, while Garnet struggled to keep her away. Sparks flamed in the air between the two as Garnet hit Ivy's mind with a lash of power. Ivy let out a cry before lashing out with a wave at her own. The two pummeled the other's mind, hatred outlined on both faces. This left Obsidian, Topaz, and Diamond staring at Spike and Damon. Damon and Spike smirked together, staring at the two. "I'm betting you get the two blondes." Damon muttered to Spike. Spike snorted. "Hah. I could take all three of 'em on." "Obsidian, go for Damon, all right?" Diamond whispered, frowning at the generals' smirks. "Yell if you need help. Topaz, you're with me. We tackle Spike. Got it?" "Hai." Obsidian agreed, grinning maliciously. "I've been wanting a fight with dear old Damon for a bit, now." "And Spiky." Topaz giggled. "Think we should call him Blondie Bear again?" Diamond smiled a little before her eyes focused. "On the count of three. One." "KEEYAH!!!!!" Obsidian crowed, leaping at Damon. Caught by surprise, he was knocked sideways and hit the ground. Obsidian leapt off him with a war shriek and leapt onto a nearby table. "BLACK FEAR SWARM!!!!" She crowed ecstatically. Damon rolled away just as the attack destroyed the ground he had been laying on. He leapt to his feet and at Obsidian with a growl. She screeched and jumped high into the air, causing him to go underneath her. Unfortunately, she went a little too high. "OW!" Plaster was knocked loose from the ceiling in big chunks. Obsidian fell back to earth and hit with a crack, looking dazed. Her eyes slid in and out of focus. Dimly she realized Damon was standing over her before she slipped into unconsciousness. Diamond swore as she saw this. "Take care of Spike!" She ordered Topaz. "You can do it! Go!" Topaz obeyed, dodging to the side and at Spike. He moved away as she came flying at him. Topaz used a table for a springboard as she pushed off with her hands and back into the air. "BRIGHT WHIRLWIND GUST!!!" Spike growled as the attack took away part of his shoulder. Topaz was already launching herself back at him. This would be interesting. Meanwhile, Damon had put his foot over Obsidian's throat and pressed down hard, cutting off her respiration. Obsidian moved a little, and let out a small gasp. He ignored this, pressing down harder, until all Obsidian could do was open and close her mouth like a fish. She began to thrash about, hitting at his leg with arms that grew steadily weaker. Damon grinned as slowly she relaxed, arms falling back- A force hit him so hard in his side that he flew across the room, hitting the wall and cracking it. Diamond stood over Obsidian, eyes full of cold fury. Very slowly, and in a tone of complete ice, she said, "You stay the hell away from my friend." Damon chuckled to himself as he stood up. "Protective, aren't you?" "After the hell I went through in the future?? Not particularly." Diamond said sarcastically, eyes blazing with hatred. All friendly feelings she had towards him were forgotten for the time being. Anger was moving through her like a hot tidal wave. Obsidian weakly grabbed Diamond's ankle. "Dimes-let me do this! I can take him!" "No, you can't!" Diamond snapped, looking down at her. "Obsidian, please, just rest for a while, all right? I'll protect you." "I hate being out of a good fight." Obsidian muttered, sighing and closing her eyes. Diamond glared back up at Damon, who was watching her with something like cold amusement. "And what, pray tell, did you go through in the future?" He asked, eyes glinting coldly. "Had to watch your friends die, I suppose?" "Yes." Diamond whispered, hatred and sorrow etched deeply in her voice. "And I was the one who had to kill them." Damon had no reply to this. He just stared at her. Emotions began driving out of her. "I had to kill my own friends, damn you, and I did! I did just to stop you all!" She glared at him, rage and tears pouring out of her. "I hate you!! You've turned me into a monster! I'm not better than you all! I hate you, I hate you, I HATE YOU!!!"  
* * * Flame suddenly roared up all around the cafeteria. Garnet's and Ivy's mental match had gone physical, and Garnet had lost her temper. Ivy was shrieking as flames incinerated her skin. Circles of fire sped around each fight, trapping the fighters inside. Obsidian had her own private circle where she lay gasping, edging away from the walls. "I'll kill you yet!!" Garnet yelled from somewhere in the flames.  
* * * Emerald noticed the flames springing up around her and an idea sprung into her mind. With an incredible pull, she flung Katrina into the fire. Katrina screamed as her hair and clothes caught on fire and began dancing about trying to put them out. Emerald laughed, massaging her scalp.  
* * * Topaz had worse luck. Spike had managed to get an arm around her neck and was now choking her. She struggled, kicking him hard in the legs and shins. Spike growled and squeezed harder, making her wince in pain. With an almighty effort, she bent her knees, and leaned over before standing up quickly. Spike went flying over her shoulder and hit the ground hard, staring at her in amazement. Topaz gulped in air and grinned cockily at him.  
* * * Amethyst leaned way back and gave Jedin the hardest blow she had ever delivered in her life. Jedin groaned in pain, body jerking about like a stuffed doll. Amethyst grinned fiercely as she hit him again and again, muttering insults. "You, my friend." She said finally, leaning over him. "Have gotten considerably weaker." "I-haven't gotten weaker." Jedin said, coughing up blood and staring at Amethyst in shock. "How could-how could you have gotten so strong?" Amethyst grinned. "I'm one high-and-mighty kick-butt princess, mister." She whispered. "Not some lousy reincarnation." Jedin gasped as her words sunk in. Angrily he flung himself to a seated position, sending Amethyst flying. "You, little-" He began wrestling with her while Amethyst fought back, wondering what on earth could have caused this change.  
* * * Sapphire's sweet demeanor was completely gone. She had turned into something like a wildcat. Uther found himself fighting for his life as Sapphire battered him with attacks and blows. "Do you have any idea," she asked when he was on the floor recovering from one particularly brutal shot, "what I could be doing now instead of letting you ruin my life?!?!" She smacked him hard in the face. "I could be out with the guy I love!!" She roared, punching him hard. "Instead I'm here-" kick to the head, "-with a bunch of-" blow to the stomach, "evil, blood sucking losers!!!!" She socked him hard in his solar plexus. Uther gasped in pain, and, for the first time in his very long life, was knocked out of a fight.  
* * * Damon fell back as a punch from Diamond hit the side of his face. His head snapped around, and his neck would have broken had he been mortal and human. As it was, he recovered quickly to shove the girl back. Diamond went flying, skidding on the ground until she stopped near the edge of the fire circle around them. She was back on her feet in an instant and charging, a war cry tearing from her throat. Damon calmly knocked her back as she came too close. She hit the ground with a sickening crack and moaned slightly, touching the back of her head. Oooh, yeah. That was going to leave a mark, though whether on the floor or her head she wasn't quite certain. Damon was there in an instant, grabbing both her wrists with one of his, keeping them above her head. Diamond struggled violently, twisting her body to kick at him. Damon winced as her foot knocked into his temple, and quickly straddled her, desperately trying to keep the warrior still. Diamond lashed back and forth furiously until she realized just where she was. Her face went a bright red even as she continued struggling violently. Damon cursed. "Would-you-stop-moving?! He grated, trying to hold down an overwhelming feeling moving through him from having the blonde trapped under him. "Not a chance!!" Diamond retorted. Please don't give me that look. Damon glared down at her, midnight eyes flashing black. "Stop it, you minx!!" He roared angrily in her face. Diamond stopped, closing her eyes and relaxing. That stupid look of his- his stupid blue eyes-stupid beautiful blue eyes-god, she hated him- "Get off me!" She growled, eyes still closed. "No." Damon replied absently, cocking his head. "Why are your eyes closed?" "Does it matter?!" Diamond shot back, making the mistake of opening her eyes to glare at him. Their eyes locked and held. "Oh, drat it." She sighed, heart instantly melting into a puddle. "You did it again." She laid her head back against the ground and shut her eyes. "Will you please get off me now?" "You'll attack me." Damon said suspiciously. Diamond snorted. "Like I even could. You gave me the look. Darn you. Get off, I won't hurt you." "Sorry." Damon announced. "Don't believe you." Diamond sighed. "So what? You're just going to sit here on me?" "I was personally planning on killing you but, as we both know, in the past I have found this completely impossible, and so it is now." Damon ran his other hand through his hair and sighed. "Don't do that!" Diamond ordered sharply. He blinked at her. "Do what?!" "Make me-oh, gods curse it!!!" She began to swear again, wriggling a little. Damon gasped and glared at her. "Stop that!" "Stop what?" She glared at him, then realized what was happening and blushed furiously. "Oops. Sorry." Damon growled and quickly got off the girl. She happily sat up and stretched. "Thank you." "So now what?" He asked. "We're obviously not fighting anymore." "Says who?" Diamond argued, trying to be fierce, but failing miserably. Her rage was gone. She instead giggled. "Oh, god, I'm going to regret this. And I just know you're going to come out of your trance and kill me again. So, might as well enjoy this." She sat cross-legged and studied him, head cocked a little to one side, an adorable pout on her face. "Um, so." Damon hesitated. This was certainly not going the way he had planned. No other scout he had ever met acted like this. "Uh-" Diamond giggled. "Hah! You're acting like half the boys in my school do when they're caught with a girl!" She chuckled. "Relax, I won't bite! I assure you we can go back to fighting in a few minutes." Damon blinked. His mind was in total and complete confusion. "Um, okay. Right." She sighed, and rubbed her head. "God. Last time I saw you, it was in the future, and you had just jabbed a sword through my chest." "You always begin talks like that?" Damon demanded tartly. "And you think we need to work on our conversation skills." Diamond grinned. "What? Had to talk about something." "Why'd I stab you?" Damon asked curiously. "What was it like, the future?" Diamond sighed. "I told you that I had to kill all my friends, right? Your lady-" An expression of such loathing crossed her face that Damon moved back slightly. "Your lady had turned them evil. I had to kill them. And then of course, you and your friends got on my case-but then I signaled to you what would send me back-breaking my charm-and you understood so you rammed your sword through it and I got back!" She grinned brightly at Damon. "Whoa, back up, back up." Damon put a hand to his forehead. "I-helped you?" "Yup!" Diamond beamed. "You said you liked fighting more than ruling. Or something like that. Oh, and before that I met you on the street and you said not to go to Rubian because you knew about the scouts being evil and you wanted to spare me-" "Jeez." Damon muttered. "I'm a class-A traitor." "It was a very nice thing to do!" Diamond protested. "But, of course, you haven't done them yet-and you never will, by the way, just to remind you that we're going to win-" "You talk way too fast." Damon muttered. "And you don't talk enough, aside from spouting evil lyrics and such!" Diamond said gaily, standing up. "Come on! Fighting must continue, now!" Damon continued to sit on the ground, blinking up at her. "That was fast." He muttered, standing as well. Diamond smiled, a dazzling smile that lit up inside him. "We can continue talking, if you like." She said softly, smiling at him. "I know we're enemies, but there's something about you. We could be good friends, I think." "More than friends." Damon whispered, so softly she couldn't hear. Out loud, he said, "And how, pray tell, would we manage that? We are indeed the two most opposite people in the universe." "No idea." Diamond replied cheerfully. "But I think you're not as evil as you believe yourself to be." "Am so!" Damon protested, trying to look angry. God, this was impossible. "Are not." Diamond said with a giggle. "You were when I met you, I know that. But-something's changed." She quickly brushed a strand of hair away from his face to gaze deeply into his eyes, a small frown on her face. "You're different, now. You're not as cold. You're talking to me, almost like a human." "I resent that." Damon said quietly, wishing she would stop touching his hair. "I'm not human. I can never be human. We're born enemies, if you'll remember." "You were born a human." Diamond told him sternly. "You were made evil. Therefore, you are not evil by birth." "I don't think of myself as a human." Damon muttered, half to himself. Diamond looked at him, sensing something of importance was about to happen. "I don't remember anything. I have no idea about who I am or where I come from. I could be a prince, or a pauper, or some bastard's forgotten child. I can't remember anything." He did not sound self-piteous, rather cold and calculating again. "I-I'm sorry." Diamond said quietly. "It's bad not knowing who you are. At least I know who I am, even if I have no recollection of my true past." Damon swung to look at her. "You're not some reincarnation, are you? You're the genuine article." "Yes." Diamond answered softly. "I am the same princess who stopped you all ten thousand years ago. Though I most assuredly cannot remember it." A look of something close to awe came into Damon's eyes. He abruptly moved away from her. "I didn't hear that." He told her sharply. "And I'd advise you to make sure I don't hear it again." "Huh?" Diamond asked eloquently, completely bewildered. "What's wrong?" "You little idiot!" Damon hissed, massaging his temples. "Do you realize what Ithengil would do to you if he found out you weren't just reincarnations?! You'd beg for death to come!" Diamond blinked. "See? You're worried about me! Another sign of humanity!" "Would you mind taking this seriously?!!" Damon demanded, raising a hand as if to slap her. "Ithengil-he's insane. He would kill you lot already without a single qualm in the world, but if he finds out you're the Jewel Princesses." Diamond blinked. "Okay. I didn't tell you that. Fine." She was completely extremely calm. He wanted to hit her. Didn't she know what kind of peril she was in?? "Chill." Diamond told him, reading his face clearly. "I'm in danger, I get it. But I can handle myself, and I believe I can handle Ithengil, whoever he is." "You don't even know who he is?" Damon sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Jeez.." "Just another general, right?" Diamond asked. Damon looked at her, not knowing whether to kill her, knock her upside her ditzy head, or hug her. "Ithengil is the High Priest for our Lady. He has more power than all of us combined." "Ah." Diamond said, a sweat drop appearing on her forehead. "That explains a bunch." She sighed. "Guess we'd better figure out a group attack soon." "F-freeze!" Damon glanced over to the outside of the flame circle. A fat, sweaty security guard stood there, pointing a small gun at them, shaking. "D- don't m-m-move!! Don't m-move or I-I'll-" "Shoot." Diamond finished. "Don't move or you'll shoot." The man nodded, arms shaking up and down. "G-get out of here! Y-you gang m-members or w-whatever-" "Sir, listen to me, please." Diamond began, walking towards the man with her hands up. The man backed away, looking terrified. "One more step!" He screamed in fear. "And I'll blast your brains out!!" Diamond froze, smiling serenely. "Hey, sir, listen, we'll be out of here soon, I'm so sorry about all this-" "Who's the human?" Spike asked from behind them. Diamond whirled to see him standing on a table, Topaz's bruised form lying beside him. She was sitting up even as Diamond watched, and gave her a wink. "Um, sir!" Diamond said, urgency etched in her voice now. "Sir, I'd recommend you really get out of here!!" "A guard, I guess." Damon responded to Spike. Spike sneered at this and glared at the guard. "Well, I don't like spectators." The man waved his gun around, clearly petrified out of his wits. "P- please! G-g-go away!!" Spike sneered, and raised his hand to point at the man. A ball of black electricity formed at the tip of his fingertip. It steadily grew to the size of an Oldsmobile. With a shout, Spike flung it at the security guard. The guard stared at the oncoming bolt, heart stopping in his chest, eyes filling with terror- A shape hurled itself in front of the blast meant for him. The man collapsed, mercifully fainting. Diamond screamed in pain as she took the whole blast of it. The lighting struck at her back and chest, frying her clothes and her skin. She arched her back as the pain reached its climax, and sank to her knees, sizzling slightly. "Dimes!!" Topaz yelled, kicking Spike out of the way. He hit the ground and lay there, momentarily stunned. Topaz ran to her leader, gritting her teeth as pain lanced into her also. She grabbed Diamond by her shoulders and stood, ignoring the stings of pain from where she touched her friend. "Come on, Diamond, let's get out of here!" "Can't." Diamond growled. "Must-protect-man." She jerked her head at the man lying on the ground behind them, out in a cold faint. Topaz swore. "Do you have to be all high-and-mighty save-every-little- person?!" She demanded, taking a firm stance beside her friend. "It's my lot in life." Diamond said, smiling gratefully at her comrade. "Are you guys enjoying the pain??" Obsidian asked cheerfully, suddenly popping up on Diamond's other side. "Completely." Topaz assured her. Then she muttered to Diamond, "I wish it would stop, already!! What kind of long-lasting blast did Spike put into this one?!" "New long-lasting minty-fresh flavor!!" Obsidian said ecstatically. "It keeps on shining so you can feel great about yourself!!!!" "New whitening toothpaste!" Diamond suggested, falling into rhythm. "Makes your teeth brighter all day long!" "Kotex fits." Topaz muttered with a giggle. Diamond swatted her arm. The pain was fading away along with the electricity by this point. Diamond stretched and smiled. "That was relatively painless." "Says you." Topaz groaned. "God, I hate getting hit." "Sockem Boppers!!!!" Obsidian cheered, skipping over to the prostrate man and tapping his forehead. "Hello in there!!!" "Obi, have off." Diamond ordered, kneeling by the man and placing a hand on his wrist to check his pulse. She blinked in shock and drew her hand back like she had touched a hot pan stove, rubbing it slightly. "Dimes?" Topaz asked, concerned. "He's-he's sick." Diamond whispered, not realizing she was almost crying. "His blood-there's something so wrong inside him-cancer, I think, in his heart-oh, god." She gingerly touched his hand again, tears falling down her face. "And it's so bad.his death is so close..I've got to heal him!" She said suddenly, raising her hand. "Diamond, I don't think you can." Topaz said uncertainly. But Diamond had already opened her mouth and was beginning to speak. "Everlasting Love Purify!!!!" The light swirled around the three girls, healing the burn marks on their skin. Diamond frowned and pointed at the man. The light seemed to hesitate, then swirled down and into his nose and mouth. The man was jolted with spasms, rocking back and forth, small gasps escaping him. Then he suddenly relaxed, and the light poured out of him again to vanish. Carefully Diamond laid a hand on his wrist again. She smiled in relief. "H-he's okay! He'll be already! The sickness is gone!! I did it!!" She leapt about and hugged Topaz and Obsidian. "God, I'm so happy! I-I saved a life!" "Don't you every day?" Obsidian asked, freeing herself from Diamond's tough grip. "But he would have died anyway." Diamond said, wringing her hands ecstatically. "And now he won't!! I did that, Obsidian! I changed his life!! He could live to be a hundred years old, now!!" She knelt by the man again and pressed two fingers to his forehead. The man groaned, and his eyes fluttered open. He stared at Diamond's face hovering above him, then at Topaz and Obsidian who were just behind. "What the." He began to reach for his gun, then stopped, an expression of awe coming onto his face. He touched his chest and his arms, poking and pinching himself. "The pain." He whispered. "The pain.my pain.all gone." "Did you have some sort of heart cancer?" Diamond asked gently, sitting back a little as the man struggled to sit up. "I do, miss." The man replied, still shaking himself. "I believe it's gone." Diamond said, smiling reassuringly. The man blinked at her. "Gone? That's impossible. It was incurable. but I feel so great.like I haven't in years." He touched his chest again, then stared at Diamond in amazement and wonder. "Who are you.what did you do.are you the one who-saved me?" "I am." Diamond answered. "And you-cured me?" She nodded. The pudgy man's eyes grew even rounder. "Are you an angel?" Diamond laughed then, sounding for all the world truly like an seraph. "No, I'm no angel." She chuckled. "I'm just a Sailor Senshi. As are they." She gestured to Obsidian and Topaz, who waved and smiled, one brightly, the other kindly. "I've heard about you!" The man gasped. "The police force says the mayor thinks you're either juvenile delinquents or gang members." He paused, and stared at Diamond with eyes bright and intelligent. "But-you're not, are you? You're for real. You're real superheroes." "We are." Diamond said with a smile. "You've got more brains than a lot of people around here." The man grinned as his head bobbed up and down. He hesitated, then got to his feet and bowed low to all three girls. "I'm just a lowly security guard who's not really getting paid enough, and I have no idea what's happening beneath the surface of this town, but I sense it's big and supernatural. I'd just like to say, though, that I trust you ladies completely." His red face looked shyly at them. "If ever you need any help at all, just call on Stan Miles. I'm always here." Diamond smiled at the man, already liking him. "Thank you, Miles. I might be wrong, but I believe you might play a part in our future." Grinning broadly, she turned back to her friends and began walking back towards the still ongoing battles, leaving the balding man spluttering and blushing. "I like him." Obsidian announced softly. "He reminds me of Santa Claus." "He did seem nice." Topaz agreed. "You really think he'll play some part in our future, Diamond?" "I'm not sure, but I do sort of have a feeling." Diamond confessed. "Besides, we need allies outside of our little group. If we ever get through this fight, we have got to set ourselves up as international superheroes. Fight street crime or something. He might be able to help us set up a job." "Or he could just be a friend!" Obsidian suggested. Diamond grinned. "Yes, there's that too." Sapphire walked up to them, grim triumph outlined on every corner of her face. "Uther is officially out of the fight." She informed them with an evil smile. "I hit his head several times after his eyes closed, just to make sure." All three girls sweat-dropped. "You are getting as bloodthirsty as Amethyst." Topaz commented. Sapphire merely cracked her knuckles, winced, then grinned again. There was a roar of frustration from a few meters away. "Damn you!!!" Amethyst yelled, pounding Jedin's face and arms. "Just-get- knocked-OUT!!!!!!!" Jedin was struggling fiercely, hitting Amethyst back in her stomach and shins. "Get off, brat!!" He snarled, grabbing Amethyst by her shoulders and throwing her away. Amethyst hit the wall, crumpled, and was on her feet again in an instant, charging Jedin again. "Need any help?" Topaz called. Amethyst glared at her. "No! I'll fight my own battles, thank you!!!" She resumed hitting Jedin's temples. "Touchy." Topaz muttered, stung. A final punch, and Jedin's head was snapped sideways and he also was out of the fight. Amethyst cracked her knuckles and looked apologetically at Topaz. "Sorry, but I don't like fighting with someone else. How can I face these guys if I always need some help?" She rubbed the back of her head sheepishly under Topaz's glare. "I'm sorry." Topaz's face finally softened. "Accepted. But no need to snap next time." "Gomen." Amethyst apologized again. "DIE, YOU EVIL RED-HEADED FRUITCAKE!!!!!!!" Emerald screamed from a few feet away. Katrina and Emerald had holds on the other's hair. Both were yanking furiously, clumps of hair littering the floor around them. Obsidian calmly walked over, yanked Katrina's hand off Emerald's hair, and slugged her hard in the stomach. Katrina collapsed to the ground and began whimpering, the wind torn out of her. "That was easy enough!" Obsidian said brightly as Emerald massaged her scalp. "Thank you, Obi." Emerald said, making sure most of her hair was still intact. "That witch. She wouldn't stop hurting me. Grrr!" She half- grinned at the group. Sapphire pointed over to a glowing mass of energy where Garnet and Ivy had previously stood. "I wonder how Shellie's doing." "Hope she's okay." Diamond said nervously. "That dome's radiating major powerful energy rays." As she spoke, red lightning sizzled inside the glowing energy dome, striking out into the air about it. Dimly Garnet's and Ivy's shrieks of anger and pain could be heard. There was a sudden crash, and the energy arena broke into thousands of pieces as Ivy sailed through it and landed several yards away. Garnet, bleeding and burned, eyes blazing, was glaring after her and shouting threats. "Don't you ever penetrate my mind again, yah hear me, you psychotic witch?!? Don't ever do it again!!" "Garnet! Chill!" Topaz said soothingly, walking over and patting her head. "It's okay! Ivy's knocked out! Be calm!" Garnet clenched her hands into fists. "She tried to penetrate my mind! Tried to read my secrets and found out who I was! Ooooh, I gave her a piece of my mind, I can tell you!" "Looks like you gave her most of your mind." Amethyst said with a whistle, lifting Ivy's head by her hair. "Jeez! Out like a light bulb!" "Everyone realized what just happened, right?" Obsidian asked. The others gazed blankly at her. "We just won." Obsidian said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "We beat each bad guy on our own. We're warriors!! We kick butt!" "She's right!" Emerald said in surprise. "Well, we're missing one general, but who cares?! We actually have won a fight!!" "CELEBRATION DANCE!!!!" Obsidian crowed, doing 'jazz hands' and prancing around. "Does-this mean-our work's over?" Garnet asked hesitantly. "Not until all these creeps are dead." Amethyst said firmly. "But, then, we can fix that." She grinned maliciously down at Ivy. A large hand grabbed Amethyst's hair and yanked her away from Ivy. Spike stood in front of her, breathing hard, anger blazing in his eyes. "You stay away!" He roared, keeping well in front of Ivy. "You didn't knock him out?!" Amethyst asked Topaz indignantly. "I was a little busy trying to protect Mr. Guard!!" Topaz shouted back. "Doesn't matter, Amethyst, look!" Garnet said, pointing. All around the room, the unconscious or injured generals were rising again and standing beside Spike, glaring at the Senshi in total and complete hatred. "So much for winning." Sapphire said with a sigh. "Wait-where's Diamond?" Diamond was with Damon, across the room from them. The two were staring at each other, Diamond with a few tears in her eyes. "We have to go back to fighting now." She told him softly. Damon nodded. "I know." Diamond smiled a little, biting back a sob, then as quick as a wink, she threw her arms around him and for the briefest instant, embraced him. She let go very quickly and stepped back, blushing. To her astonishment, Damon was blushing slightly also. He didn't look at her, and stammered a little as he turned to walk back to the generals. Spike watched him with crafty, narrowed eyes. He noted the color on Damon's face, and the somewhat goofy smirk. "It appears," He murmured to himself. "That we have a problem." "We definitely have a problem." Emerald whispered to Topaz, looking at the smile on Diamond's face. "A very, very, very big problem." "Get out of here." Diamond told the generals, voice high and clear and firm. "We have won this fight. Most of you were knocked out. Some of you injured. All of you beaten. Go back to your hell-hole." "You have not beaten us." Jedin said angrily. "We have not called on our full reserve." "As we have not also." Diamond said calmly. "Go home." Jedin spat on the ground. "We're not leaving, Princess Diamond." He growled, voice full of triumph. A gasp echoed from generals and Senshi alike. "He knows?" Damon muttered to himself in disbelief. "How do you-how do you know?!" Diamond stuttered. One by one, the Senshi turned to stare at Amethyst. Amethyst blushed and faltered. "Well, you know-to make us seem scarier-ten thousand years old-" "Oh, Kami-sama." Diamond breathed. "Lord help us." "What's so bad about it?" Topaz inquired. "Tell you later." Diamond said, looking across at Damon, eyes bright with worry. His eyebrows were narrowed, and he was biting his lip. They know. Diamond told him in her mind. I know. Damon replied, mind-voice like velvet. Your Senshi let it slip. What happens now? You all are in very grave danger. "The-Princesses?" Katrina gasped. "Not-not reincarnations? The real ones?!" "Right." Diamond confirmed, throwing her head back and glaring at the group opposite them. "Wanna make sometin' outta it?!" Obsidian giggled. "Might I inquire why on earth you are talking like a gangster?" Diamond grinned. "What the heck? Might as well have fun." "You think this is some joke?!" Spike demanded. In synchronism, all the generals raised their hands. "DARK TITANIC DESTRUCTION!!!" The girls screamed as wave upon wave of black energy poured down on them, cutting them, scarring them, wounding every inch of their bodies. Diamond blindly reached to either side of her, and felt Obsidian and Sapphire grab her hands. "Come on, everyone!" She cried, tears slipping from her eyes. "Join together! We can beat this!" Haltingly, the Senshi drew together under the rain of evil energy. Hands were clasped. Garnet tripped and fell to the ground only to be picked up by Amethyst. Garnet smiled gratefully at Amethyst, who smiled back. "Come on, everyone!" Diamond called again. "We can beat this!!" Her voice was getting stronger and older, with the resonance of thousands of years slipping in. "We are the High Princesses of the Planet Opal!" "We are the Defenders of Justice!" Obsidian added. "We are the Fighters of Peace!" Sapphire cried. "We are the Ladies of Light!!" Emerald screamed. "We are the Soldiers of Love!" Garnet shouted. "We are the Scouts of Legend!" Topaz yelled. "We are the Promise of the Future!!" Amethyst finished. An incredibly bright golden light swarmed out from the girls, beating back the darkness. The pain began subsiding as the light ones fought back, directing their powers at the evilness plaguing their planet. Diamond's face grew older and more beautiful again, as did the rest of the Senshi. Obsidian's black hair flew out behind her as she remembered Diamond's recount of the future. I'm not evil. I'm not going to let my world fade. I can be strong. Garnet whispered. For myself and for the ones I care about. My power comes not from death and destruction, but from rebirth and creation. Amethyst murmured. I am afraid, but as long as my friends are near, I know we'll triumph. Emerald thought. I can't give up. Sapphire said softly. I have too many things worth living for. Too many things will be lost if we don't prevail. Topaz murmured. Too many beautiful creatures. I will fight and I will win, whatever the cost, Diamond whispered, for those that I love. "JEWEL SENSHI PLANETARY ATTACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" The entire room seemed to explode with incredibly strong energy. The Senshi were completely alien, now, faces beautiful and strange, eyes bright and glowing, hair flowing back from some unfelt breeze. The darkness vanished, and the generals could only stare at the golden power shooting at them. The cafeteria walls and ceiling began crumbling with the power of ten thousand years of living coming out in pure energy. Large blocks of cement and stone fell towards the girls, only to be incinerated when they got within five feet. The generals were hit square-on by the debris, making them have to blast it out of the air while enduring the pain of a thousand shots of power. "How the hell are they doing this!?!?" Jedin demanded, blasting a particularly large block out of the air. "Maybe we can stop them!" Katrina suggested. The Senshi spoke as one, voices coming from somewhere far away. "You will never uncover the source of our power." "I'm all for going home." Damon said, wincing as gravel rained down into his eyes. "Excellent idea." Uther said, disappearing with a pop. "Cowards." Spike muttered, firmly rooting himself to the spot as Katrina left also. The light slowly drained from the room back into the Senshi's bodies. Their faces changed back to normal, though very pale. The invisible, unfelt breeze that had been lifting their hair vanished. As the last glow faded, all seven girls fell to the ground, too drained to be unconscious, too weak to move. Diamond was worst of them all. She lay gasping for air, bones clearly showing through her skin. Her blue eyes seemed weak and pale also as they fluttered open and shut. "Everyone alive?" She asked finally. There were murmured replies of "Yeah" and "Mostly" from the majority of the scouts, one half-hearted "Whee!" from Obsidian. "What. Was. That?" Emerald asked weakly. "God, I feel so drained-but pretty alive at the same time. Weird." "Stop talking." Amethyst groaned. "Oh, my head." "Are they gone?" Garnet whispered, struggling to rise slightly and failing. "I'm afraid not." Spike said coldly, standing over the fallen scouts and looking down in hatred. Topaz sighed. "Do you mind making quick? I'm very tired and would like to rest now." "Not a chance, Miss Topaz." Spike swore, raising his hand that was filled with black electricity. "We're going to make this long and painful." "Painful, maybe, but not long." Sapphire murmured, closing her eyes and waiting. Spike began to bring his hand down- A silver rose rooted itself in Spike's hand. He swore and backed away, cursing. Tuxedo Onyx landed in front of the Senshi, eyes blazing. "Are you all right?" He asked, looking down at Obsidian in concern. Obsidian shook her head. "So sleepy." She murmured before finally and serenely passing out. "Good timing." Diamond told him, smiling a little. "But-I've got to get up-you can't handle them by yourself-" "Didn't say I had to." Onyx said, jerking his head back. Diamond twisted her head slightly to see Storm, Bullet, and Thunder standing behind them also. "Why-where'd you find them?" She gasped. Thunder smiled slightly. "We felt the energy, here. And it was a bit of a hint when the whole cafeteria top exploded." Diamond laughed, then closed her eyes. "Take care." She murmured in a tone of voice that was more whimper than whisper. Storm looked at her, concern flashing behind cold eyes. Then he shook his head and turned to glare at Spike, Jedin, Ivy, and Damon, all who were watching them expressionless. Damon's eyes never once left Diamond's incredibly white face. "You don't have their power." Jedin said calmly. "Perhaps not." Bullet replied, eyes cold. "But we are their protectors." He drew a rose, a deep red-orange, out of his own cloak. Damon choked back a gasp. More guardians?! This seemed to be true, for Storm produced a yellow rose from thin air, and Thunder a peach one. Onyx had his own silver rose clasped tightly in his hand. "We might not have our transformations, memories, or powers." Thunder said, green eyes icy. "But we'll protect these girls. We do know the future." "More-Tuxedoes?" Amethyst asked, sitting up slightly and laughing a little. "Jeez, aren't we so special." Thunder looked at her, a mysterious affection deep in his eyes and something else-strange and foreign. Then he turned away, leaving Amethyst to stare at him in wonder and confusion. "This is so stupid." Spike sighed. "God, this world has far too many self- sacrificing idiots. Jeez." "It's what keeps us going." Storm said in agreement. Then, like a wave crashing on the shore, he leapt at Spike. The two rolled over and over, pounding each other's face and chest, hatred and anger outlined in every movement. Thunder and Jedin began to throw different blasts at each other, Thunder purplish ones that looked somewhat like roses, Jedin black ones that looked like fire. Flames and lightning flew back and forth between the two as they batted it out, fighting for the length and breath of the room. Ivy seemingly did nothing. Bullet, however, gritted his teeth, feeling as wave after wave of mental power swarmed into his mind, plucking into his secrets-and his identity-oh no-he fought back fiercely, desperately forming a mental shield with his own power. Damon and Tuxedo Onyx stared at each other, neither moving or speaking. "You're hiding something." Onyx said at last, narrowing his eyes. Damon nodded, and looked at the still golden girl lying in the middle of her friends. "I can't fight her." "Why not?" Onyx asked, suspicion a clear vein in his voice. "I have no idea!" Damon raged suddenly. "I hate her! I hate her, and yet- god help me-" He ran a hand through inky-black hair and stared at the girl who was watching him from underneath half-closed eyelids. "She sees something in me." He says finally. "She does. In me. It means her death if we get too close. I can't be with her. I won't be with her." Diamond, listening to this, felt her heart break in her torso. Her face was motionless as she fought back a wail of pain that Damon felt in his own chest. Tuxedo Onyx stared at him, uncertainty and anger fighting in his heart. Something was wrong between these two, he could sense it. Sworn enemies, as willing to kill each other as soon as look, they had fought each other so many times-and now there was a look of almost tenderness on Damon's face that Diamond could not see through her tear-ridden eyes-she looked like she wanted to cry-He shook his head. This was far too confusing. "So now what?" He asked finally. Damon looked up at him, coldness masking into his face. "We'll fight. It's likely you will die, or at least be injured. I'll retreat, like we always do. Meanwhile, Diamond and her friends will grow stronger and stronger, until the day comes when we'll face them and they'll win, truly and completely, and Rubian will be destroyed forever, and us along with her." "You believe you will lose?!" Onyx gasped, wondering if he needed his hearing checked. Damon chuckled blackly. "With her in command? We don't stand a chance." Without another word, he launched himself at Tuxedo Onyx. The two raged back and forth, alternating sending attacks and blows at the other. Damon was like a tiger, eyes burning black in his cold face, teeth bared slightly. Grimly, Tuxedo Onyx fought quickly, ignoring stabs of pain when a shot would tear into his tuxedo and the flesh beneath. Diamond's tears were flowing underneath her eyelids, but she did not let them fall. She had been unable to hear or see anything after "I won't be with her." Her heart was breaking deep inside her, and she had no idea way. The thought that had occurred to her only a few days ago-it seemed like a lifetime-the one she had thought on the balcony after dancing with Damon came back in full force. I wonder-oh god-can I be in-She swallowed hard, and dared to finish. Love? Damon growled as Tuxedo Onyx's cane lashed out to strike him hard in the stomach. Expertly he grabbed the cane and tossed it away before grabbing the long ponytail and yanking it hard, making Onyx crash to the floor. He rolled as Damon's fist came down and cracked the floor where he had been two seconds earlier. "Onyx-chan!" Obsidian cried, sitting up slightly, face pale but determined. She began to rise up shakily, then fell back with a moan. Tuxedo Onyx abandoned the fight. He knelt by Obsidian and helped her sit up, concern on his face. "She'll be all right." Emerald assured him. All the Senshi were beginning to rise again. "We're all just exhausted." There was a crash, and Bullet fell to the ground beside them, a large spear sticking out of his shoulder. He grimaced as he wrenched it out. "Hey, you okay?!" Topaz gasped, seeing blood beginning to pour from the wound, drenching the black cloth. "I'm fine, I'm fine!" Bullet growled, forcing himself to stand. Ivy was walking towards him, grinning slightly. Diamond and Topaz, leaning against each other for support, stood in front of Bullet. "Beat it, Ivy!" Diamond growled. Ivy stopped suddenly and stared at Diamond, eyes glowing green. She seemed puzzled. "Death." She whispered in her sing-song voice. "Death floats around you." Diamond blinked, staring at her. "What are you talking about?" "Like a specter." Ivy murmured. "It's everywhere around you. Your clothes.they're drenched with blood." She gasped suddenly and fell backwards, wailing. "Spike!" Spike abandoned his fight with Storm in an instant and raced to Ivy side just in time to catch her as she fainted. He glared at them, then looked at Damon. "I'm leaving." He said coldly, disappearing with Ivy. Damon evaporated also, with a last glance at Tuxedo Onyx. Jedin, finding himself alone, flew up into the air, hovered a moment with a glare at Amethyst, then vanished. Obsidian sighed and rested her head on her knees. "Jeez.I feel like I'm someone's sponge, all wrung out." She grinned a little at this thought. The rest of the Senshi unsteadily got to their feet. Tuxedo Onyx, Storm, and Thunder watched them, reaching out a hand when they seemed a little too unsteady. Bullet groaned suddenly, reaching up to clutch his shoulder. His hand came away a bright red with blood. "We've got to get him to a hospital." Thunder murmured to Storm. "I can heal you-" Diamond began, then with a graceful move, she ended up on the floor. "Or not." She struggled up again and shrugged her shoulders apologetically. "Sorry, my magic's tapped dry for the moment." Bullet nodded weakly in acceptance, leaning on Thunder and Storm's shoulder. Quietly he whispered in Storm's ear. "Ivy-she plowed through my mind. I believe she knows who we are." Storm swore softly, then quickly grabbed Bullet as he swayed again. "We're getting you out of here." He told him. "We'll worry about that later." Supported on either side by Storm and Thunder, Bullet was lifted into the air. The trio bounded away, Bullet being carried by his friends. "Are you all right?" Tuxedo Onyx asked Obsidian as she swayed back and forth a few times. "I'm fine-I think-oops." Obsidian leaned a little too far one way and began to fall, fortunately towards Onyx. He grabbed her a moment before she would have hit the ground. "Neo?" She gasped before fainting away. "Obi!" Amethyst gasped, walking carefully over. Tuxedo Onyx put his head close to her mouth, then looked up. "Still breathing. Unconscious only." Amethyst sighed in relief, then looked around at the destroyed cafeteria. "We better get out of here before the police arrive." She warned, walking shakily towards the door. The rest of the scouts followed, jerky and unsure in their movements. Tuxedo Onyx gently lifted Obsidian in his arms and followed, thinking deeply about the dark-haired mortal that was snuggling into his side.  
  
Eh-heh-heh-heh.*pokes the computer screen* Hallo! Wow, I have 18 reviews! Which is rather not a lot, but I'll take what I can get, yes? ^_^ Please review! 


	20. Therinan Revealed! Fight at the Tower!

Spike threw Damon against a large pillar not away from the altar. Jedin and Uther, behind him, cracked their knuckles. "What are you doing, Spike?" Damon asked guardedly, not liking the look in Spike's eyes. "I want to know what you're playing at, Damon!!" Spike snarled, pounding his fist into the marble an inch from Damon's head. Damon didn't even blink. "Playing at?" "I saw Diamond hugging you, damn it!!" Spike roared. "More, I saw you blush!! You didn't kill her, and it was the most perfect opportunity you could ever possibly have!!" "Have off!" Damon snapped as Spike raised his hand again. "Why, damn you?!" Spike said, more in bewilderment now than in anger. "Damon-you're an ally, and one of the best damn fighters I've ever seen. But you haven't even used half of your reserve against these brats!! Why?!" Damon struggled for a moment with the words. "It's-it's hard to explain-" "You like her." Uther said, voice cold and precise. "You are in love with Diamond." Damon tried to laugh this off, but the look in his eyes told differently. Spike hit his forehead with his hand. "Gah, why didn't I see this before?!" Then, to Damon's amazement, he began laughing. "Hah! Oh, Damon, I was worried it was something bad?" Damon blinked. "This isn't-bad?" "Very curable." Spike said with a chuckle. "You just need to see our Lady for a little refreshing." He steered Damon out from behind the pillar and towards Ithengil, who was reading from a hologram of runes. "Yes, what is it?" Ithengil asked, spotting them. "Master Damon here needs some cleansing." Spike said, grinning and clapping a hand on Damon's shoulder. "Seems to have a bit of a lust-crush on Sailor D." Ithengil stared at Damon a little too long with his yellow eyes, making Damon shift uncomfortably. Finally he waved his staff. "So be it." Two enormous doors behind them opened into pure darkness. Damon began to shake slightly. Spike backed away as Damon made his way inside. The two doors slammed shut behind him. Damon swallowed, and turned to face what he knew would be there. Spike listened intently. After a few moments, he smiled. "Good, she didn't kill him right off. Always a good sign." "Spiky, love." Ivy cried, coming forward excitedly. "What is it, bit?" Spike asked, bending his head. Ivy whispered frantically in his ear for a few moments. Spike grinned, patted her head, and turned to look at Ithengil. "We have found," he announced, "the human identities of three of the Therinan."  
* * * Oz fumbled with the key trying to get into his apartment. His hands were shaking convulsively, blood splattered all around them. Finally he got the stupid thing in the slot. He wrenched the apartment door open, stumbled a few paces into the room, and collapsed on a dark green leather couch, not caring that a stream of his blood was making its way from his shoulder onto the cover. He laid his head back to stare at the ceiling. God curse it. Why'd he have to go and get injured in that stupid fight against Ivy! He had flatly refused to go to hospital-the doctors might have suspected something, seeing as how the wound was made by a supernatural blade. He didn't know what kind of info might show up on the tests they did-and the last thing he wanted was to be cooped up in a hospital. And to have been so weak-in front of those he was supposed to have been protecting-he felt like a clumsy idiot. He remembered the way Diamond and Topaz-Topaz, of all people-that babe-protecting him after he'd been injured. Path-et-ic. He was pathetic. Stupid, stupid, stupid! And now Ivy probably knew who he was-oh dear. "There's no use worrying about it now." He told himself out loud. "Yes, you made yourself look like an idiot. Well, you are one, so that settles that. As for Ivy-" He winced and rubbed his shoulder. "No. Healing first." Gingerly, he removed his shirt from the bloody mess to get a good look at the wound. It was a hideous deep gash in his shoulder, going right through his flesh to the other side. Somehow seeing it made the pain intensify. Oz winced, then carefully looked deep within himself and slowly drew in a breath. A twinge of yellow-orange energy pulsed at his fingertips. He directed it towards the wound, gasping as the light entered him. The next five minutes were spent in a painful agony until finally he withdrew the light, panting. The wound was still there-large and horrible-but the bleeding had subsided somewhat, though the ache remained. He was no near as skilled at this as Diamond was, and he wished fervently that she hadn't been so devoid of strength and energy. Something fizzed in the air in front of him. His head snapped up and he stared at the air a few feet in front of him. It was glowing a deep black for about four feet around. As he watched, Spike's face suddenly appeared in it. It looked down at him, the mouth opened, and out came Spike's cold, drawling voice. "Hello there, Bullet. Or shall I call you Osborne Tamahome? It seems so much more formal." Oz stiffened, straightening and glaring at the air. Okay, this was bad. "What do you want, Spike?" He demanded. "Tut, tut." Spike scolded. "So rude. Just thought we might be able to have a nice little chat!" "What do you want." Oz stated coldly, not wanting to listen to the cocky general's self-praise. Spike's smile vanished into coldness. "Alright, Ozzie, listen up. We know who you and your two little buds are, and this message is being sent to them also. At one in the afternoon tomorrow, you are to go to the Sunset Tower." A sneer appeared on his face. "We want to have a little talk with a few Therinan members." "And if I refuse?" Oz asked, tossing his red hair to the side of his head. A picture of Sailor Diamond and Sailor Topaz, blood running down the sides of their faces, appeared where Spike had been a second ago. Topaz's eyes were open, and she seemed to be staring pleadingly at him. Diamond's eyes were closed, and her face pale in death, mouth open slightly. Oz shielded his eyes from this sight as the other Senshi joined the first two, all bloody, all dead. Oz shouted and threw a pillow at the site. The pillow went through the mirage, but Spike's face appeared again, smiling cruelly. "This hasn't happened.yet." "Hurt them and I'll kill you!!" Oz swore, raising his hand. "Just be at the Sunset Tower tomorrow at one." Spike ordered, beginning to disappear. "And be warned, Bullet-we are stronger than we appear, and our depths have not been plumbed yet." With that, he vanished. Oz leaned his head back again, wincing as his wound pained him again. He got up and went to look out of his window, thoughts running through his mind like quicksilver.  
* * * Malorie skipped happily along the sidewalk, munching on a cookie. Thanks to the "vandalism" done to the cafeteria, school would be closed for an indefinable amount of time. Malorie snorted. Sure. The cafeteria was 'vandalized' like the Empire State Building was 'somewhat tall'. She giggled as she remember the look on Lune's face when they had reported that they had destroyed the cafeteria. She blinked as she recognized the red-headed figure a few feet in front of her, hunched over like he was carrying a great weight. She sniggered slightly to herself. Now was time for a little payback on Oz's part. She began to creep up behind him. Oz moved blindly ahead, glancing at his watch. Twelve forty-eight. Not a lot of time. He gazed ahead to the tall building a few blocks away, then sighed, rubbing his shoulder. Malorie crept slowly up. Oz seemed preoccupied with something and didn't turn around. With a fiendish grin, she raised her hand, and brought it down on Oz's shoulder with a THWACK! Oz gritted his teeth to stop a yell of pain that was inspired from his shoulder, which had flared up suddenly. Behind him, he heard a sarcastic voice say, "Whoops! Sorry, carrot-head, thought I saw a bee!" Oz smiled a little, then turned around to face Malorie. She was expecting anger, smoothness, even name-calling right back. She smiled in anticipation. She had some good insults planned this time! "Thanks, I hate bees." Oz said calmly, rubbing his shoulder. Malorie gaped at him like fish, eyes wide open. "Huh?" She said sophisticatedly. Oz half-smiled again. Malorie. M&M. One of the few people he let himself care about. She was gaping at him, obviously surprised he didn't tease her. But he didn't feel like it, today. The fact was, this could be the last time he'd ever see her. "I said, thank you, I hate bees." Oz said, reaching up to close her mouth for her. "Oh." Malorie said in confusion, working this over in her mind in puzzlement. "Um-aren't you going to-call me names?" Oz sighed. "Not today, Malorie. I have somewhere I've got to be." Without another word, he turned and began walking away, slightly quicker than before. Malorie stared at him leaving. "He-he called me Malorie." She said in perplexity. Something caught her eye, and she looked down at her hand. She gasped as she realized that the hand she had used to hit Oz with was covered in- blood?! "Oh, god, he's really hurt!" She whispered, letting her hand fall to her side and staring after the quickly departing figure. She wrestled with her thoughts for a few moments, then took off after him, bumping and knocking into people, not even caring, just keeping her eyes focused on the swiftly walking man.  
* * * Oz checked his watch. Twelve fifty five. Perfect. He stared nervously out at the large building not five yards away, and took a deep breath. "Okay. Okay. You can do this, Oz. Just try for once not to be a coward." He ran a hand through his hair, working up his courage. Suddenly, out of nowhere, something gently touched the back of his neck. Oz swung around and grabbed whoever it was, throwing them against the alley wall. The attacking person shrieked and covered its head. "Oz! Calm! Down, boy!" "Malorie?!" Oz demanded, adrenaline and-thankfully-courage flowing through his system. "What the heck are you doing here?!" Malorie straightened angrily and glared at him. "Hey, chill out, all right?! It's just-when I hit your shoulder-well-" She raised the hand with drying blood on it grimly. Oz caught his breath and stared into Malorie's somber eyes. "Oz, that looks painful. And serious! Shouldn't you get medical help or something?!" Oz's fierceness melted into-nothing. "I'm glad you're worried about me, M&M, but really, it's nothing. Just a little sore spot. Now, please, go away, I've got to meet some people." His breath caught as he spotted Lance and Andrew across the street, and without looking back at Malorie, began walking away. If he thought he could get rid of her, boy was he wrong. One, Malorie knew very well this was not some simple paper cut. Two, the dreaded nickname had been uttered. "I got an A in health class, you jerk!!" Malorie yelled as Oz crossed the street without looking back. "I know when something's bad and when it isn't!!" Oz didn't even turn his head. Growling and cursing, Malorie crossed the street in pursuit. Oz nodded to Andrew and Lance, relieved to see them looking as scared as he felt. "Hey, guys." "Hey, Oz." Andrew took a deep breath and looked up. "What happens next? Do you think they'll just incinerate us immediately, or is there something else at hand here?" "I don't think we're going to be killed." Lance said quietly, pointing up. A golden bubble had materialized in the sky and had started to come down towards them. Seconds before it would touch them, it slowly split into four separate bubbles. Each bubble came down to envelope a separate person. Oz did a double take. Wait a minute-four bubbles?! "What the heck is this thing?!" A voice shrieked from behind them. Oz turned, gasping. "Malorie, get out of here!" "I wish I could!!" She replied in a screech, pounding on the walls of the suddenly solid bubble. "What the-why are they taking her also?!" Lance demanded. "Malorie, why are you here?!" "I followed him!" Malorie yelled indignantly, jabbing a finger at Oz. "And what the devil is going-" There was a pop, and the bubble containing her vanished. "Mal!" Oz cried, pounding on his bubble's wall. "Oz, chill." Andrew ordered, voice choked slightly. Oz obeyed, hands clenched and trembling. There was another pop as Lance's bubble vanished also. Oz had the briefest instant to feel horrified before he felt himself dissolving away.  
* * * Malorie landed on something hard with an "Ooof!" She rubbed her rear end and looked around. "Dear God." She was sitting on the floor of the lobby of the Sunset Tower. It was completely dark, and all the windows and doors were locked and barred. Lance appeared beside her, bubble gone, as did Oz and Andrew two seconds later. She looked at Oz questioningly, trying to hide the desperate fear she felt behind her eyelids. "Um-what's happening?" She asked, voice trembling only slightly. Apparently her fear was not as well concealed as she thought. Oz took one look at her, then came over and gently put a hand on her shoulder. "I wish we hadn't gotten you into this, M&M. I don't think you're going to like what happens." Malorie stared at him a moment, emotions flashing across her face. Worry, concern, fear, anger all swirled around as she looked at him. Finally she took a deep breath, and said sternly, "Don't call me M&M." Oz laughed hard for a few seconds before grasping his shoulder and then wincing. "What did you do to yourself, anyway?!" Malorie demanded. "You can't accomplish that with something like scissors or even a knife! Least, it's have to be a BIG knife jabbed in several times!" "None of your business, and it's really too hard to explain." Oz muttered. Malorie opened her mouth indignantly. "So you did show up!" A voice said from the other end of the room. Malorie swung around, horror etching itself across her pretty face. I know that voice! She thought desperately. But-could it be?! Spike stood, grinning rather toothily at them. Ivy and Uther stood beside him, Ivy latched onto his arm, Uther standing sullenly. Spike's eyes narrowed as he saw Malorie. "Who's that?" Malorie gasped for air, terror deep in her veins. Slowly she reached for the bracelet on her wrist. Suddenly Oz was in front of her, glaring at Spike. "Back off, Spike! She's a bystander. She has nothing to do with this. Your stupid bubbles managed to catch her also, though." Malorie stared at Oz. How did he know Spike?! Spike ran his tongue over his lips, looking at her like she was a hamburger. Fear pervaded for a moment longer before anger took its place. She stuck her head out from behind Oz and stuck her pink tongue out at Spike and blew a raspberry. Spike grinned. "Brave human. We will not harm her." His eyes narrowed as he looked back up at Oz. "Our business will not be done here. We will meet you on the top floor of this building." With a low laugh, he, Ivy, and Uther vanished. "How do we get there?!" Andrew roared to the empty room. "Stairs?" Lance suggested, pointing at the flight near them. "Or elevator?" He gestured to the other end of the room. "What's going on?" Malorie asked, worry deep on her face. "Why are you guys associating with that?!" Oz laughed harshly. "Way too hard to explain, Mal. Don't think you'd believe us anyway." "Try me." Malorie retorted, crossing her arms. "Later!" Andrew said sharply, pointing to the walls. Large ice blue spikes the size of motorcycles were beginning to spring out of the walls. They crackled and shifted back and forth. Suddenly the ones farthest away, near the stairs, began shooting out and plowing into each other, razor sharp points glinting in the little light there was. "Run!" Andrew ordered, taking off towards the elevator. "Towards the elevator, quick!" Lance charged after him. Malorie stood frozen, staring at the advancing shooting spikes. Someone suddenly grabbed her hand and began pulling her swiftly along. "Come on, Malorie, run!!" Oz shouted. Shaking herself, Malorie took off, sprinting after him. Andrew had the elevator doors open and was waving frantically at them. "Come on, come on!!!" It was only a few paces ahead-but those spikes were gaining so fast-  
  
Oz caught her around her waist and flung her the next five feet into the elevator. She hit the back wall with a crack and moaned. Oz took a tremendous leap to land in the elevator, Lance banged the "Doors Close" button, the elevator doors slid shut, and the elevator started up. Oz leaned back against the elevator walls, sighing in relief. Malorie was shaking slightly. She stared at him with wide eyes. "All right, all of you spill. What the hell is going on here?! Do your parents know about this?!" "Don't have any." Oz said calmly. "We don't have anything." He took a breath and let it out slowly. "I guess that's where this should all start." "Should we tell?" Lance whispered in his ear. "Not all. Just most." Oz murmured back. He cleared his throat at looked back at Malorie's puzzled eyes. "Mal-" He took a deep breath. "God, you're not going to believe this, but I'll try. On our eighteenth birthday, all of us, Lance, Andrew, and me, woke up without a damn clue about who we are." Malorie stared at him, eyes filled with shock. "Weirdest case of amnesia the doctors had ever seen, they said." Oz said with a bittersweet laugh. "Not only did we remember anything, there was no one who remembered us, no files, no data, no record, nothing. Not even a family. We only remembered each other, vaguely. We felt connected. So we've stayed together, and we came here." "Why here?" Malorie asked. "We're not exactly the biggest city in the world." "A compulsion." Andrew said, taking up the story. "Drawn here by something." "And why are you involved with-" She swallowed. "Him?" "Not by choice, I can assure you." Lance said dryly. He was not taking part in the story but choosing instead to watch the elevator go up by floors. "We-think he can help us remember some things." Andrew said carefully. "And they-he-asked us to come here today." "Understand this, M&M." Oz said suddenly, leaning towards her. "You have no idea what kind of hell our life is like. We have no idea about who we are, if we belong anywhere, friends, family-nothing. Like an alien spaceship just sort of dropped us here one day all ready for life. You get me?" Malorie nodded slowly, biting her lip. Her "Don't call me M&M" was half- hearted. Then she murmured, very, very quietly, "I know hell of a lot better than you might think." The elevator suddenly jolted back and forth and stopped. "Uh-oh." Lance said in the silence that followed. "Not good." "What's Spike doing?" Oz asked Andrew. "Nothing good." Andrew said grimly, reaching up towards the emergency trapdoor at the top of the elevator. He wrenched it open, and looked up into blackness. Ivy's voice echoed down the elevator shaft, tinkling like a bell. "Tiiiime to plaaaay with kiiiitties.." Her voice echoed a few times before fading away. Malorie shivered, hugging herself tightly. "I don't like this at all." She muttered. "Look!" Lance yelled, pointing up. A spark of green was visible twenty floors up. As they watched, it expanded into a green flame that began shooting down the shaft towards them. "Damn!" Andrew swore. "Damn, damn, damn!" Oz glanced at Malorie apologetically. "I'm sorry we drew you into this, Mal." He said sadly, giving her a slight hug. Malorie said nothing. She stared at the green flame, choices running through her head. I don't want to get flame crisped, but to transform in front of them would mean trusting MORE people with my secret, but Oz is nice-but then, Jedin seemed nice at first. Oh, god. Similar thoughts were flying through Oz's head. We can't transform here in front of her! But, then, if we don't we'll get killed-but it's more that likely we'll be dead anyway-but Mal shouldn't have to suffer this-He sighed at glanced at her. She doesn't deserve this. She doesn't need to be dragged in. The flames were getting incredibly close now. The generals' laughter could be heard echoing down. "That's it!" Malorie said suddenly, grabbing her bracelet and holding it tightly. "No fun getting toasted!" The men stared at her as she determinedly raised her charm. "You're going down, Ivy! Topaz Star Power-Make Up!!!!!!!" Oz yelled as the elevator was filled with a bright yellow-orange light that swarmed around, blinding them. Dimly, he thought he could make out Malorie's figure, but he had to shield his eyes quickly. Just as suddenly as it had come, the light was gone. Oz sighed in relief, then turned to look over at Malorie. She was gone. Sailor Topaz stood there instead, staring angrily at the advancing flame. "Malorie?!" He gasped, staring saucer-eyed at Topaz. Topaz turned to look at him. She slowly grinned and gave him the V-for- Victory sign. "Hello, Oz. Surprised?" "Extremely." He choked out. "How can you be a Sailor Scout?!" "Gee, thank you so much for your confidence." Topaz said sarcastically. She looked up to see the flame not five feet away. "Ahh! Bright Whirlwind Gust!!!!!" The golden attack hit the green fire, batting it back and extinguishing it. Topaz quickly leapt up onto the top of the elevator and reached a hand back down. "Come on!!" Oz hesitantly took it. With surprising strength she yanked him up, then reached back down for Lance and Andrew. "Come on, hurry! The ropes on this thing might have been fried by that blast!" There were a few muffled snaps from above. Topaz urged them over to a wall and kicked the two doors that the elevator should have stopped at open. Oz, Lance, and Andrew all tumbled onto the brightly lit floor. The elevator swayed back and forth, jerking Topaz into the far wall away from the safe passage. "Mal! Grab my hand!" Oz yelled as the elevator ropes broke. Topaz grabbed onto a ledge as the elevator dropped out from underneath her and went falling away. After a few moments she heard it crash faintly on the bottom floor. She struggled for a better hold, gloves sleeping on the ledge she had. "I so do not like this!" She yelled, voice echoing around the shaft. "This didn't come in the job description!" "Mal, can you jump?" Oz called. "I'm not 'Mal', I'm Sailor Topaz, thank you!" Topaz retorted, struggling to turn herself around to face them. She winced as she saw that the gap was six feet-and the floor was soooo far away... "Come on, Topaz!" Andrew said encouragingly. "You can do it!" Topaz gulped a few times, then pushed off with all her might. She sailed across the gap and flew into Oz. They fell to the floor, she on top of him. They stared at each other, noses an inch apart, breathing in synchronism. "Oops." Topaz muttered after a moment, face beet red. "Sorry." She quickly scrambled off him and brushed off her skirt, clearly not looking at him. Oz's face matched his hair as he got up also and looked away. Lance elbowed him and grinned. "We've got to get to the top." Andrew ordered. "Come on, let's move. Stairs this time, though." "Agreed." Topaz said, moving towards the stairs that were right next to them. "Let's move." In a few minutes, they had reached the top floor. Topaz pushed the door open gingerly, fists clenched, ready to attack. She looked back at the men behind her. "Stay close. I'll protect you lot." Oz snorted at this, and muttered to Andrew, "Does this seem the tiniest bit ironic, or is it just me?" Andrew shushed him with a smack. Topaz looked about the darkened room suspiciously. "Hey, Spiky!" She yelled. "Come on out and fight!" Nothing happened. Topaz peered about the room, a sweat-drop beading on her head. "Hello! Oy! Spiky!" Still nothing. "Um." Topaz turned to look at them. "He did say top floor, right?" Oz made his way out from behind her and stood staring determinedly at the darkness. "We're here, Spike." He said clearly. Green and black flames erupted in the center of the room. Slowly, Ivy, Spike, and Uther emerged from the flames, not seeming to care that the fire roared around them, licking at their cloaks and armor. "Nice entrance." Lance commented. Spike's eyes opened wide in surprise as he saw Sailor Topaz. "What the-" "I don't know what you're doing with these men, but I'd advise you stop manipulating them!" Topaz snapped, going into a fighter's stance. "I'm Sailor Topaz, Senshi of the Wind and of the Yellow High Heels, and in the name of oxygen I will punish you!" Oz, Lance, and Andrew almost fell down. "What was that?!" Oz spluttered. Topaz looked at him, confused. "Was it okay?" Spike gaped at her for a few moments before throwing his head back and letting out a full-throated roar of laughter. Topaz glared at him. "What is so funny?!" She demanded, hands on her hips. "Your speech, for one." Oz muttered. Topaz smacked him on his shoulder. "Shut up." Spike stopped laughing long enough to blink at her. "It's just-very amusing." He chortled at last. "Here we are, coming for a different quarry, and a Sailor Scout tumbles right into our laps." "You leave her out of this!" Oz snapped, throwing in arm in front of Malorie. "We had a deal, Spike! You don't harm her!" Spike looked at Oz in amusement. "I said I would not harm the human. That- " He pointed at Malorie. "Is not human. Nor is she a young girl." Oz looked at Topaz, eyes narrowed. Topaz blushed a little, and for a brief instant, her face changed, growing older and more beautiful. It was only for an instant, and then she was herself again. "I am Opalian." She told him simply. "And-god, you're not going to believe this- " She laughed a little. "I'm ten thousand years old." Oz was fairly sure that his eyes were the size of plates. Topaz laughed at the expression on his face. "I aged well, didn't I?" She asked brightly. "That would be the understatement of the century." Oz managed to make out, staring at her. "She is one of seven High Princesses." Uther said in a bored tone. "Now, Spike, do you mind hurrying this up?" "Excellent idea." Spike said, pointing at the three men. "But would you all rather get a little more comfortable?" "Comfortable?" Topaz wondered. "Um-what are you talking about?" "He means us, Topaz." Oz said quietly. Topaz turned around, laughing. "Oh, get real. What, are you going to conjure up-" Her voice died in her throat as she stared at Oz. A red-orange rose was in his hand. She remembered that rose. She had caught a glimpse of it as she struggled to stay conscious, and it stayed with her, for some unknown reason. "No way." Oz smiled a little at her. "My turn for a surprise." He closed his eyes and concentrated. Tendrils of orange light wrapped themselves around Oz's clothes. Slowly, the jeans he was wearing changed into black, silky pants. The long-sleeved shirt vanished into a short tunic with black cape flowing back from it. A black mask curved around his features, and his orange hair seemed to glow like fire. Topaz's jaw was hanging open. "I do not believe this." She stuttered. "You-you three- " Storm and Thunder smiled a little at her. Bullet calmly closed her mouth for the second time that day. "Stop gaping like a bullfrog." "Shut up." Topaz muttered, rubbing her head. "This is way too confusing." Bullet's green eyes went wary as they looked across at Spike. "All right. What do you want with us?" Spike smiled in that way that made Topaz shudder. Vines of black energy spiraled up from the floor, wrapping around the Guardians' arms and legs. Bullet yelled as he found himself getting flung back hard into a wall. More snakes of black energy tied him there, stinging him with small shocks of electricity that made him yelp. Storm and Thunder found themselves in similar predicaments. "Oz!" Topaz cried, fear on her face. She ran over to the wall and began trying to free him from the tendrils of energy. But the coils lashed out at her when she attempted to touch them. Biting her lip, Topaz doggedly continued, letting out a small cry as one lashed out to strike her face. "Mal, stop it!" Bullet ordered in a low voice. "Get away, please!" "No way!" Topaz growled, sticking her chin out stubbornly even as she winced in pain. "I'm going to get these things off-ow!" She recoiled and clutched at her hand that had been cut to the bone. "Ow!" "You can't free him." Spike said coldly from behind her. Topaz swung to glare at him. "What the devil do you want?!" She yelled, teeth bared like a wildcat. Spike smiled. "How much would you give for his safety?" He asked calmly. All color drained from Topaz's cheeks. "Blackmail." She whispered, voice filled with fear. Then again, "What do you want?" In her mind, she began reaching out across the city. Diamond! Jewel Senshi!! You guys, help! The Sunset Tower, top floor! Quick! Help! "All of you." Spike said clearly. "Here. Within an hour. You hand over your identities and transformers, and these three go free." He eyed her slightly, and a terrible look came into his eyes. "Or there are other possibilities." His tongue trailed suggestively over his lips. Bullet slammed against his binds with all the strength he could muster, ignoring the pain as his wound tore open again. "Damn it, Topaz, don't be an idiot!!" He roared. "Don't you dare!!" Topaz swallowed hard and stood tall. "I'm not going to bow to your arcane wishes, Blondie-Boy, so forget it." She glared at him, clenching her fists. "But-my transformer- " Bullet strained against his binds, hatred deep in his eyes. "Topaz!" He yelled in anguish. "Topaz, don't you dare! Not for us! Please, god, not for us!" Topaz turned around to stare at him. He was somewhat shocked to see her eyes had changed from bright blue to amber-gold. She gave him a smile, then her eye slowly lowered in a wink. Bullet stared at her. What the devil was she- "BRIGHT WHIRLWIND GUST!!!!!" Topaz roared, whirling around and thrusting her hands at Spike. The attack took him by surprise and he drew back quickly, knocking into Ivy and Uther. Topaz sprinted towards them, her power already glowing again in her hands. She threw it at the group before leaping away as Spike struck out at her. "I am never," she growled from a safe distance. "Ever going to give up. You want my transformer?!" She tossed her head defiantly. "Then come get it, Spiky!" Spike replied with a violent outburst of energy. Topaz ducked as it raced over her head, then cried out as a blow from Uther hit her in her gut, propelling her back into the wall. Her fuku was scorched black on the stomach area. Ivy's green fire wreathed around her head, scratching at her face. Topaz rolled away from the flames, wincing as her felt her skin burn and crisp. Guys.She begged in her mind. Please.I can't do this alone. "Darkness Arrow!" Spike yelled, pointing at her. Topaz shrieked as the blast hit her smack in the center of her bow. She went flying back to hit the wall beside Bullet. He was swearing profusely. "Topaz, get out of here! Don't bow to his wishes! He's going to kill you!" "I am a Sailor Soldier!" Topaz gasped, standing and leaning against the wall. "I have to protect every one." She turned to smile at him. "Even you, carrot-top." "How touching." Spike muttered, coming forward, black lighting a horrible blossom in his hand. "End of the line, Topaz." He said, grinning at her. Topaz unsteadily stood and placed herself in front of Bullet, glaring angrily. Spike's grin grew wider, and he raised his hand. "So long-" CRASH!!!!!! The tower's glass ceiling suddenly exploded into thousands of shards of glass that came twinkling down like fireflies. Something much larger than the glass pieces landed also, golden hair flying about her shoulders. Sailor Diamond slowly rose from her kneeling position, glaring at Spike. "Your entrance was good, hers was better." Thunder commented. "Leader of the Jewel Senshi, protector of the stars, I am Sailor Diamond." Diamond growled, placing her hands on her hips. "Scout of Fire and Flame!" "Scout of Water and Ice!" Garnet and Sapphire jumped down through the ceiling hole to land beside Diamond. "We will punish you on behalf of Opal!!!" The three ended. "Diamond!" Topaz cried, knees shaking in relief. Diamond smiled. "Hi, Topaz." Her eyes sharpened as she looked over the three bound men. To their immense relief, she nodded and smiled at them also. "You all owe us a very long story." She told them. "Granted." Bullet replied gratefully. Diamond turned ice eyes on Spike, glaring at him coldly. "We do not make deals with nega-trash, general." She said in a low voice. "I'd advise you keep that in mind." "Oh! So dangerous!" Spike mocked, smiling cruelly. "Perhaps you'd like to talk to someone you're-friendlier with?" He snapped his fingers, and a black fire soared up beside him, revealing another figure. Diamond gasped. "Damon!" She cried, stepping towards him, arms open. Cold, empty black eyes flashed over her, no hint of warm blue affection in them anywhere. Damon seemed cold and aloof, far away and empty. Diamond stopped moving and watched him cautiously. "Damon?" "Blackness Hail." Damon said coldly. Black bolts the size of baseballs jagged out of the sky and struck at Diamond, hitting her all over her body, cutting her open and wounding her. They swarmed around, hitting all over her skin, making her face red with blood. She arched herself in pain with a cry. Sapphire gasped. Garnet clapped a hand over her mouth. "DIAMOND!!!!" Topaz screamed. Diamond moaned as she slumped to the ground, pain defined in every fiber of her being. Crying, Garnet raised her hand to point at Damon. "Scorching Flameballs Fire!!!" A black shield formed around him before the balls of fire could touch him. The attack flew back at Garnet, who dispelled it with a wave of her hand. Black clouds began growing in the sky above their heads. Black electricity flashed across the sky like lightning. Harsh winds began picking up, cutting like a hot knife across skin and flesh. "We're going to take this world into hell." Spike said, an insane grin lighting up his features.  
  
Why yes, this chapter IS a lot like how Usagi met Mamoru! Okay, so sue me. It was late, I was tired, and I couldn't think of a better idea. Eh. 


	21. Bullet and Topaz! A Romance Meets Its P...

A few blocks away, far below on the streets, Mary was carefully watching the old man-who looked suspiciously like Mr. Rogers-pedaling down the street in a wheelchair from a dark alley. She had been spying on him for several days, monitoring his route. "Come on now." She breathed. "Come on. Follow your schedule." As always, at exactly one ten, the man stopped his wheelchair on the curb to wait for the bus. In a flash, Mary was on him, tugging on his shirt, yanking him out of the chair. "Move it, grandfather!" She cried, insane and giddy. She threw him into a heap of trash and leapt into the wheelchair, wheeling herself around to face the giant hill there beside her. Smiling crazily, she began propelling herself forward and down the hill, laughing madly. The man stared after her in the trash, crying and wheezing in the way old people do. Mary screamed with laughter as she picked up speed, traveling down the hill at nearly eighty miles an hour. "WHEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!" She screamed, dodging several cars and the bus. Finally she slammed on the brakes, and the wheelchair slowed to a neat stop at the bottom of the hill. "Ha-HA!!!!!" She cried. "Oh, yes! I have always wanted to do that!!" "Steal a wheelchair from the old and the crippled?" A voice asked behind her. Mary swung around, feeling her good time going out the window. "Oh, goody. It's you, Neo." "Don't need to sound so pleased." Neo said dryly, fingering the wheelchair. "There's a reason for that, you idiot." Mary began to snap. A callous wind suddenly hit her in the back of her unprotected legs, along with a surge of unquestionable evil. She shook slightly, wavering back and forth. "The wind." She muttered to herself. "There's an evil feeling on the breeze." She turned to stare up at the black sky. "Holy." "Jeez." Neo commented. "Looks like a storm's coming up." Mary said nothing. She stared at the black lightning flashing over head, not one doubt deep in her heart. This was no natural storm. Without warning, a bolt of lightning suddenly came down to strike the street. Concrete and pavement split apart as the bolt carved a six-foot crater into the road. Mary gasped, shielding her head from the debris carried by the wind. "God in heaven." "You should get indoors." A voice said close beside her. Mary turned to look up at Neo. His voice had changed from a teasing warmth to deep coldness. The wind would have blown off that darned baseball cap he always wore, but he had a firm hand on it. "Not if you don't." Mary replied stubbornly. Another crack of lightning suddenly hit the street not two feet in front of them. Mary screamed, Neo grabbed her, shielding her from the blast that followed and knocked them into a deserted alley. Mary's head hit the ground hard. For a moment she lay there, stunned. After a few seconds she stirred and looked around. "Neo?" There were a few scarcely concealed oaths from behind her. Mary turned around. Neo was kneeling on the ground, face away from her. "Where's my baseball cap?!" She heard him mutter, twisting his head around. Mary stood and walked over to him. "Hey, what's the matter? Did you lose your-" She stopped in amazement. Long, silky locks were flowing down Neo's back, drawing back in a ponytail. And there were not auburn, but instead- Silver?!?! "Neo?" She whispered, face paling. Neo swung to look at her, then grabbed a strand of his own hair to examine it. "Oh, crap." He sighed, then looked at her sardonically. "What's the matter, chimp? Out of insults?" "Your hair's-silver." Mary said, voice hushed. "Unnatural, I know." Neo sighed and fingered a lock. "I'm a freak, I guess. Now have you seen my-" He stopped in surprise as Mary suddenly grabbed his arm, forcing him to look at her. She stared intently at his eyes. "Are those-contacts?!" She asked in a strangled voice. Neo drew back in surprise. "What the-how did you know?!" He demanded, grabbing her arm roughly and glaring at her. Mary stared at him a moment more before completely cracking up. She fell on her hands and knees, pounding on the ground, tears streaming down her face as her stomach ached from the huge laughs exploding from her. "I should have known!" She gasped. "God, I'm such an idiot-Neo and Neo-such a fool-" "What's so funny?!" Neo demanded suspiciously. Mary looked at him, amusement suddenly gone, leaving only a peaceful smile left. "But then-I guess I can believe you're him." She said calmly, studying him. "You always were beautiful-and I did like you, even if you teased me- " "What are you talking about?!" Neo growled. Mary calmly withdrew her bracelet from her hand and held it up. It glimmered even in the shadows, masking pretend rays of light. "I sense the darkness growing here in the city as much as you do." She said calmly. Neo stared at her. "You do? But-but how?" "And I know that you are Tuxedo Onyx." Mary said calmly. Neo stared at her. "How?" He whispered. "I'm right-right?!" Mary asked, worry suddenly clouding her features. Neo sighed, then grimly held up a silver rose, produced from somewhere in the confines of his suit. Silver light rose delicately from the rose, flying around him, shaping itself into a silver tuxedo complete with cape, top-hat, and mask. Mary grinned brightly at him, then yelped as Tuxedo Onyx crossed the space between them, a look of fury on his face, grabbing her arms. "All right, spill." He growled. "How do you know?!" Mary smiled at him. "You are so not going to believe this." Raising her bracelet high, she shouted to the sky. "Obsidian Star Power-MAKE UP!!!!!!" Black light the colors of the deepest night of a new moon swirled around Mary's form and Onyx's hands. He stared hard at her, not believing what his eyes were telling him. In a flash, Sailor Obsidian stood in the alley, beaming brightly at him. "Very surprised, yes?" She asked, trying to pry his hands off her. Onyx stared at her. A smile was beginning to make its way onto his face. "All this time." He breathed. "All this time you were right underneath my nose." Something strange was flashing in his smoky eyes. Obsidian struggled a little harder. "Neo-chan." She whispered, trying not to look at him. "Please-you're hurting me-" "You should feel some of the pain I've felt over the last few days, missing you." He growled, hands like steel vices. "Worried to death-wondering if you were getting captured or killed by some monster-" "I'm a Sailor Senshi." Obsidian reminded him gently. "And right now you're hurting me. You don't let me go, I shall summon my fish friends to come and attack you." "You're insane." Onyx told her, eyes flashing. "Thank you." Obsidian said, voice almost a pleading whimper. "Neo- please." Swiftly Onyx bent and kissed her roughly on the mouth. Obsidian almost collapsed. Thank god now that he was holding her.she didn't think she could stand.she felt hot all over, and the way he was kissing her-like he was taking draughts of honey from her soul. She gasped slightly as something like lightning zinged through her. As quickly as he had started, Onyx was gone. He looked down at her, smiling a little. "Later." He promised, reaching to touch her face with one gloved hand. Obsidian nodded, wordless for a few moments. "Later." She finally managed to make out. "Now come on! We have to find my friends, I have the feeling that they're in grave danger!!"  
* * * Diamond screamed as Damon's attack flung her against the ground. She lay there, bleeding and broken, eyes slipping out a few broken tears. "Damon.why?" She whispered, sadness and confusion in her heart. "I thought.I thought you were my friend." Damon did not reply. He merely glared down at her with those unfeeling, uncaring eyes. "I'm going to kill you, pal!!" Sapphire roared, raising her hands. "Icy Glacier Freeze!!!" Damon stared impassively at the oncoming attack, not even moving to block it, hands moving up too late- A low gasp echoed around the room. Diamond's body, now almost completely broken and mangled, fell to the floor, scarred in many places from Sapphire's attack. She had thrown herself up at the last minute, in front of her friend's assault. Now she lay on the floor, half-dead, not even able to move. Something was flickering in Damon's eyes. He was shaking his head back and forth, beginning to look around in confusion. "What the.where am I?" He asked to the air. He turned around, puzzled. "Spike? What-what happened?" Spike swore. "Why aren't you still feeling the affects of our Lady's power?!" He demanded. "Come on! Finish her!" "Finish-oh my god-"Damon whirled around to kneel beside the fallen Senshi, whose golden hair and clothes were barely visible under the drenching of red blood. "Diamond!" He cried, carefully raising her. Diamond's blue eyes opened, hope rising as quick as a thermal. "Damon?" She asked guardedly, staring at him. Blessedly dark blue eyes looked back into hers. Diamond swallowed hard and hugged him. "You're back!" She whispered. "You're back, you're back!" Garnet, Topaz, and Sapphire were staring at Damon in bewilderment. "What was that all about?!" Sapphire shrieked finally. "The enchantment on him is broken." Uther snapped, glaring at Damon. "Damn it Damon-two more seconds and this whole thing could have been resolved!" Damon turned two furious blue eyes on him, not masking his anger. "You let her use me! My body!" He growled in loathing. "I was nothing but some mindless vessel! Never again, do you hear me?!" He stood up and walked away from Diamond's embrace, glaring at them. "Never." He repeated again. Her thousands of wounds were screaming for attention from her now. She tore her eyes away from Damon to finger her cuts and bruises. "Everlasting Love Puri." Her voice faded as she began to fade away into unconsciousness. "P-purify." She breathed, letting herself slip away even as the painful healing process began. Sapphire and Garnet flew in front of their unconscious leader, hatred and ferocity on their features. "Stay away!!!" Garnet screamed. "Or-or I swear to god-I will kill you all! I swear it!" "Come on, Garnet!" Sapphire said forcefully. The two raised one of their hands. "ICY BLAZE OBLIVIATE!!!!!" They yelled. A torrent of red fire shot from Garnet's hand and wrapped around the icy blue blast coming from Sapphire. The two powers swirled around each other before shooting at the generals like a bullet. Ivy was hit in the stomach. The attack shot her back against the wall with a cry. Flames and ice took turns in devouring her skin as Ivy wriggled and screamed. Sapphire and Garnet swayed, holding onto each other for support. Garnet's eyes were clouded over and without pupils. Sapphire gasped as she saw this, and wanted to back away. On the floor, Diamond opened one eye when she heard Sapphire breathe in sharply. Garnet was glowing slightly, she noticed with interest. Suddenly flame-red eyes with no pupil looked down at her. Garnet's face sharpened. "Death." She murmured so only Diamond could hear. "It's here.it's floating around you.Scout of Life." Diamond's eyebrows shot up in shock. "Death.floats around me?" She whispered. "That's like-that's like what Ivy said yesterday!" Garnet's head shook abruptly, and she smiled at Diamond's frightened face. "Hello, did I doze off for a moment?" She inquired cheerfully, eyes returning to normal. Diamond did not reply. She struggled to her feet, mind full of strange, unpleasant thoughts and questions. "I guess so." Sapphire supplied, letting go now that Garnet could stand on her own. Furious shouts from Spike and cries from Ivy made the two stand on their guard again as Topaz ran to join them. Diamond ignored what was happening. Why does death float around me? Twice people have said that, people who can see visions. I'm the Scout of Love and Life! Why does death come near me? "Bright Whirlwind Gust!!!" "Darkness Arrow!!!" "BLACK FEAR SWARM!!!!!" "BEAUTY ROSES BLAST!!!!" At these last two yells, Diamond did look up in joy. "Obsidian! Emerald! Amethyst!" The three scouts nodded at Diamond. Or actually, Obsidian waved eagerly, Emerald and Amethyst sighed after she did this. "The last three of the Sailor Team arrive!!" Obsidian called, leaping down to land between generals and Senshi. "The Royal Seven of Opal stand between you and the captives." Diamond proclaimed, standing tall with a glare at Spike. "Royal Seven?" Obsidian questioned. "Ooooh, I like that. Very catchy." "Thank you." Bursts of fire began exploding by the generals as Katrina, Jedin, and Xavier took their places beside the others. The two sides glared at the other for a moment. "ATTACK!!!!!" Diamond screamed, pointing forward. "Get 'em!!!!" Spike ordered as the generals' power surged out. "DEATH CRESCENTS DESTROY!!!!!" "DARKNESS ARROW!!!!" "ICY GLACIER FREEZE!!!!!" "BLACK HAILSTORM!!!!" "BRIGHT WHIRLWIND GUST!!!!!" "EVIL OBLIVATION!!!!!" "BEAUTY ROSES BLAST!!!!!!" "FREEZE!!!!!!!!" The high-pitched commanding voice rang throughout the room. The generals turned around, and the Senshi stared. A tiny, yellow, wrinkled old man with a long black staff was standing there behind the generals. He was scowling a little. Diamond blinked at him. She remembered him from somewhere..now where was it.. "Master Ithengil!" Jedin gasped, blinking at him. "Sir-you came out?" "After feeling all these powers floating around, how could I resist?" Ithengil said dryly, stumping forward. "Ithengil." Diamond murmured. Suddenly she snapped her fingers. "From the future! It was your plan that sent me there!!!" She stared at him. "You're a lot uglier than I remembered." She said, frowning in confusion. The Senshi all smothered giggles. The generals scowled. Ithengil only smiled peacefully before pointing at her with his staff. Everyone gasped as Diamond went flying backwards to strike the wall fifteen feet behind her. She cried out but remained there, elevated several feet above the floor, crying in pain from some unseen torture. "Let me down!" She yelled, seeming to struggle desperately. "Let go of me!" Ithengil smiled. Diamond glared at him, then looked down at Garnet, conveying a silent message. Garnet nodded and closed her eyes. Abruptly Diamond fell to the floor, landing nimbly on her feet. She frowned at Ithengil. Ithengil made another motion with his staff. Diamond went flying up over everyone's heads to strike the ceiling with a shriek. Her vision blurred from the pain as she looked down. "Oh god." She laughed slightly. Very suddenly, her momentary levitation ended. Diamond's head hit the floor with a hideous crack. She let loose a cry before biting her lip, forcing tears back. Slowly she got to her feet, gingerly touching her head to find blood seeping from her forehead. "If I can't get into college because of brain damage you are SO dead, pal." She warned Ithengil. "You're not exactly in the position to make threats, Miss Diamond." Ithengil said, creaky voice smooth. "And I very highly doubt you will live until college." "Why not?" Diamond asked brightly. "I'm certainly old enough. And smart enough. For instance: you bad, me good, me killee you." The Senshi grinned, if somewhat anxiously. Diamond's head was bleeding profusely and showed no signs of stopping. She did not seem to notice this, and if she did, she didn't care. "She needs to heal herself!" Emerald whispered to Amethyst. "She can't go on like that!" "She will though, damn her." Amethyst swore. "She's as stubborn as an ox. No healing till we're all out of danger. Or until she gets run over by a bulldozer. Whichever comes first." "Not too long ago you took away all the energy we had gained, Miss Diamond." Ithengil said quietly. "At the same time, you called upon your past to send it back to the people it had been stolen from. All of you are getting quiet dangerous, what with calling on ancient powers and such. At that time, after I had seen what you could do, I ordered a very simple command to my followers, here, one that has not yet been obeyed." "And that is?" Diamond asked quietly. Ithengil smiled. "To kill you." A wave of enormous black energy flew up behind Ithengil, looking rather like a tsunami. Diamond stared at it, voice failing her, mind screaming in terror. With a huge crash, the wave moved over the generals and down towards her and her friends. My friends.. "No!" Diamond screamed at the quickly advancing wave. "You won't hurt them! I won't let you, damn it!!!" She clenched her hands and raised an arm into the air. "I WON'T LET YOU!!!!!" Something golden illuminated itself in the air above her. Diamond grabbed it without thinking, and brought it swiftly down as the wave crashed on them. The Senshi's screams were abruptly cut off as the black energy tore to either side of them, missing by mere inches. Garnet stared forward at Diamond. She was kneeling on the floor, and whatever she had in her hand was separating the power into two halves that ripped around the room. Garnet gasped as she realized what it was. A sword. A very real, very beautiful, double-bladed work of art, with a silvery blade and dark gold grip. Diamond's eyes were closed as she held it, concentrating all her power into it without even realizing what it was. She sliced at the power whirling around them, destroying it, casting it away into nothingness, sending it back to hell. Finally the evilness was gone. Diamond stood, pale and sweating, gasping as she saw what she clenched tightly in her hands. "A sword?!" She gasped even as her heavy eyelids closed. "Wow." Her voice trailed away as her eyes began to close. "So sleepy." Damon stared at her, shell-shocked as she began to slip away. "Diamond!" He gasped. Don't faint!! Not now!! They will-he will- Too late. Diamond fell to the floor, sword clattering on the ground beside her. "Kill her!" Xavier's harsh voice echoed throughout the room. "Diamond!" Obsidian gasped. "Wake up! Please!" A blast of darkness shot from Xavier's hand- And in a flash, Diamond was gone. Damon landed a few meters away, clutching her by the shoulders, glaring at Xavier. "Not fair." He hissed. "Not a fair fight." "Let her go!" Topaz growled, raising her hand. Ithengil's frown was apparent. He waved his staff in the air. All of the generals vanished. Diamond fell again to the ground, breathing lightly. Topaz knelt by her comrade to support her. "What in the world is going on?" She whispered to her sleeping friend. Diamond's only response was to snore a little.  
* * * In her dream, she was walking along a flat plane. Eerie purple fog covered the ground, puffing up wherever she stepped. A dark cave with a single light was just ahead. As Diamond drew close she saw a woman, violet hair streaming in the wind, kneeling in front of the cave, back to her. "You have a question." The woman's voice said softly when Diamond opened her mouth. Her voice was strange, like the baying of a hound, but far more musical. "I do." Diamond whispered, not sounding like her usual self. The woman turned, lavender eyes searching Diamond's blue ones. Her face was unexpectedly beautiful; it was neither old nor young, but had an ageless quality to it. "Death does float around you, Opal-child. The Divinity has given you a hard path to follow." She beckoned Diamond to sit beside her. Diamond sank to her knees, leaning towards the woman. "Why?" She inquired. "Why does it draw close? I am the Senshi of Love and Light for my planet!" The woman smiled sadly at her. "My poor child. There are things even I cannot reveal to you." She leaned forward and gently placed her lips on Diamond's forehead, healing the wound there. "Now, go back to your home. Your friends are waiting." Diamond awoke with a gasp and sat up. "Hey, you're alive!" Garnet cheered, leaning over her friend. "We were worried there-you've been out almost five minutes-and so cold and pale!" "Minutes.?" Diamond whispered, feeling her head. The wound there was gone. She brought her hand down to stare at it. A silvery purple substance glittered on her fingers for a brief instant before it faded into the air. Chatter and anxious talk swirled around her. Diamond ignored it. Her eyes were trained up on the sky that she could see through the gap in the ceiling. My question is still unanswered. Now I only have more. Who was that? What Divinity? A hard path was chosen? I do not understand. Why does death circle around me? "Um, hey?!" Bullet called from where he still hung on the wall. "Can someone get us down?!" "Huh?" Topaz asked, looking up at him. "O-oh! Right!" She ran over and tugged hard on the binding ropes. The painful energy was gone, now, and the ties came away in her hands and evaporated into dust. All three men hit the floor with a thump. "Ow!" Thunder complained, rubbing his head. "We don't deserve this." "Shut up, you big baby." Amethyst said cheerfully. Diamond glared at them severely. "All right. You all have a very large story to tell, so I'd start talking."  
* * * The next day, Malorie was walking down the street, mulling over yesterday's events. It was rather hard to comprehend: all the identities of their protectors revealed in one large swoop! She could believe that Neo was Tuxedo Onyx, somehow-especially after seeing that hair of his-but that nice Andrew and smooth Lance were Storm and Thunder?! It was rather hard to believe. And that Oz was Bullet.that was even harder. Their Guardians were so smooth, so fast, so brave.Oz was a Creep, capital "C". But he was so nice yesterday, wasn't he? A terrible part of her mind kept nagging. Was worried about you, didn't want to drag you into it, worried that you would get hurt-quite the gentleman. Gentleman?! Another part snorted. Hah! The way he looked after I fell of him was NOT gentlemanly!! You looked much the same way. The other part of her mind reminded her smugly. Besides, didn't he feel warm and strong? You could practically feel his muscles, couldn't you? How do you know that?! The second part demanded. I was THERE, you numbskull. Oh. Right. Malorie sighed and rubbed her head. She wanted to kick both voices out of her head. Maybe then she'd have time to think. Yes, she hated Oz.but he had felt so warm when she had landed on him. "Ow!" With a hollow thud, she was on the ground again. She glared up at who she knew would be there. "Hey, watch it, carrot-top!!" "So glad to see you still have your pleasant demeanor after yesterday." Oz said with a grin, reaching down to help her up. Malorie took the callused hand with a frown. "I've been in fights before, numbskull." She growled. "I know." Oz replied. "But how many in which your leader hugs a general, the entire evil team shows up, Diamond gets used as a ping-pong ball for an evil sorcerer, and you find out your worst enemy is one of the people that fights with you?" "Point taken." Malorie muttered. "What are you doing here, anyway?" "Walking." Oz answered. "Is this now a criminal offense or something?" Stung, Malorie snapped, "Well, maybe I should have you arrested for injuries against a Sailor Scout!" She spun around, nose in the air, completely ready to stomp off in a huff. A warm arm went around her shoulders. "Aw, you don't really mean that, do you, M&M?" Oz whispered in her ear, breath gently caressing her skin. Malorie froze. "Get away from me." She murmured. "Now why would I want to do that?" Oz laughed softly, not letting go. "It would take all the fun out of things." One finger began gently tracing a pattern on her neck and collarbone. "I'll transform and kick your butt." Malorie warned in almost a whimper. He was so warm. "Not here, you won't." Oz said softly. "Not on the street." "What do you want?" With a laugh, Oz suddenly released her. Malorie shivered at the sudden loss of warmth and turned to look at him, a strange feeling in her veins. Oz leaned down to look her straight in the eye. "Aishiteru, Malorie." He whispered teasingly, smiling at her. "Wh-what does that mean?" Malorie wanted to know, breathing quickly. Oz grinned. "Figure it out, then come find me." He told her, standing back up. With a jaunty wave, he strolled off, whistling. "You better not have insulted me!" Malorie yelled after him, temper and sense finally coming back to her aid. She stood glaring at the departing redhead an instant longer before turning and running down the street towards their gym.  
* * * "No way!" Rachelle gasped. "Oh, Mary, that is just too romantic!" Mary looked extremely smug. "I know." She said superiorly, pretending to inspect her nails. "So after he kissed you, you ran to help us?" Marisa asked, hanging upside- down from the monkey-bars. "Uh-huh." Mary said happily. And then, with a blush, "And-he said-he said 'Later'." All the girls gasped. "Oh, wow!" Lacie sighed. "Hey, you want him? Because I will gladly take him! He sounds so wonderful!" There was a bang as the gym doors flew open. Malorie flew into the room, yelling. "Angie! ANGIE!! Mary! Somebody!!" "Whoa!!" Angie said, standing up from her place in the circle. "What's wrong, Mal?" Malorie grabbed Angie, burning anger in her eyes. "You speak Japanese, right?!" She demanded, half-insanely. Angie very carefully pried Malorie off. "A little." She said guardedly. "Why?" "I do, too!" Mary called, standing also. "Can you translate something for me?" Malorie demanded. "We can try." Angie said with a shrug. Malorie took a deep breath. "What does 'aishiteru' mean?" Angie's eyes opened wide. She glanced over at Mary and raised her eyebrows in a silent question. Mary nodded, an excited look on her face. Angie turned around. "Who told you that, Mal?" She asked, way too smoothly. Malorie eyed her suspiciously. There was something about Angie's voice that made her lie. "Oh, someone." She said vaguely. "Just-tell me what it means!" Angie took a deep breath, then said with a smile, "It means 'I love you', Mal. 'I love you'." Malorie stared at her, mouth open, gaping like a fish. "Hello?" Elisha asked, waving her hand energetically in front of Mal's face. "Yo! Earth to Malorie! You in there?!" "Uh-yeah, I think so." Malorie stuttered after a second. She blinked a few times. "So, who did tell you this, Malorie?" Rachelle wanted to know, crossing her arms in front of her knees. "N-no one!" Malorie laughed. "Did I say someone told me this?! It was-uh- just-something on a Sailor Moon video clip I-uh-downloaded from the- computer! Yeah, that's it!" All of the girls watched her with knowing smirks on their faces. "Well?" Angie asked after a moment. "Well what?" Malorie growled. "Are you going to tell your-computer-you love it back?" She asked. Mary giggled. Malorie blushed. "But-I don't know if I love-my computer-back!" She complained. "Oh, come on, Mal!" Rachelle shouted. "We've seen that look you get in your eyes when your computer is teasing you!! You look all happy and rapturous, and of course there's that little sigh you always do when your computer leaves-" "What?!" Malorie yelled. "Don't be silly! I do not sigh around my computer!!" "Don't you think it has a nice hard drive, though?" Elisha wanted to know, grinning slightly. "And a really handsome modem?" Marisa asked. Malorie blinked at them all in confusion. "Well, yeah-I guess so." She admitted. Lacie gently pushed her towards the exit. "Then go get it, Malorie!! I think you and your-computer-would make a very cute couple." She smiled at her friend. Malorie stared at them a moment more before smiling brightly and taking off into the late afternoon sunshine. The girls watched her go, grinning happily. "And another Jewel Senshi goes off to not be alone anymore." Marisa said with a sigh, eyes going misty. Lacie sighed as she picked at her hair. "It's so lonely, now. In spring everyone's getting married.couples walk in the park." She, Marisa, Elisha, and Angie all sighed together. Mary blinked at them. "What's with you guys?!" She demanded. "You couldn't know how we feel, Mary." Elisha sighed. "You've got a man to snuggle with under the stars." The girls sighed again. Rachelle blinked at them before grinning brightly. "Well, I have Kyle! Aren't I lucky?!" All the girls turned their backs on Rachelle. "Let's ignore her for a while." Angie muttered, with various agreements.  
* * * Malorie ran down the streets, frantically looking left and right. The two parts of her mind were meanwhile roaring back and forth insanely. PART ONE (hereby dubbed 'Voice'): I told you!!! I told you he loved us!!!!! PART TWO (hereby dubbed 'Reason'): (struggling for composure) Well, we couldn't be too sure. Besides, couldn't this be an elaborate joke? VOICE: (hitting Reason over the head with a large hammer) IDIOT!!!! Come off it!!! Why did he have his arms around us this after noon?! He likes us!!! He does!!!! He loves us!!!! Our carrot-top loves us!!! REASON: (rubbing head in pain and glaring at Voice): That wasn't necessary!!!! .Could he really love us? Malorie shook her head. "I am really getting crazy." She decided, glancing fervently down an alley. "Oh, where is he, darn it!!!" She burst out. "Where am I supposed to meet him?! I don't know where he lives, school's closed, he could be anywhere-" She stopped dead smack in the middle of crossing an intersection. "Come on, Mal, think!!!" She growled, banging on her head. "Now, if I was Oz, where would I be?" She thought..and thought..and thought a little more.. A horn blared at her. She jumped up and blinked apologetically at the car waiting to go. "Sorry! Sorry!" She ran to the side of the road, still thinking hard, not concentrating on where she was going and effectively knocking several people on the sidewalk over. "Think!" She growled. "Think, think, THINK!!!!!" She snapped her fingers in sudden insight. "The arcade! Kyle said he went with them there and that they had fun!! Maybe he hangs there everyday!!" With hope in her heart, she flew down the street, feet barely seeming to touch the ground. Five minutes later. "Sorry, miss." The arcade attendant apologized. "I know the guy you're talking about-red-head, nice guy-but he hasn't been here since two days ago." Malorie's shoulders sagged in disappointment. "Thank you." She whispered, trying not to let tears crowd into her eyes. Wait a moment-tears?! Yes. They were tears. She was crying. She wanted to see him, now. She wanted to know if this was a cruel joke, or- Don't think about "or". She instructed herself. That's what's gotten you so riled up. Think of it as a dumb joke, and you're trying to find him to flatten him for it. The clerk was watching her in concern. "Miss? Are you all right?" Malorie nodded, eyes dimmed under the water pooling there. "I can tell him you dropped by, miss, if you leave a name." The attendant offered, saddened by the thought of this happy girl crying. Malorie nodded, and cleared her throat. "Tell him-tell him that Malorie came by, and she wants-she wants to talk to him. Badly." She whispered. The employee nodded. "Right, miss, I'll tell him." He frowned slightly as Malorie trudged her way out, eyes still clouded and wet. Poor thing. Outside the arcade, Malorie stood for a while, tears blotting her view of the ground. She was so sure he would be there! "Darn you, Oz." She murmured, laughing a little. "Where are you hiding?" Maybe he.maybe he regrets telling me that. Her tears completely spilled over, and the next few moments were spent in sobbing. She curled up on a bench and began crying her heart out, realization deep in her, coming out through her mouth. "I love him, I love him, oh, god, I love him.."  
* * * It was a broken Malorie that Marisa spotted crying outside the arcade, and it was because of this that she abruptly turned about and ran all the way back to the gym where Angie had requested their Guardians meet them later. She strode up to Oz, yanked him out of his chair, grabbed the front of his shirt, and glared at him straight in the eye. "Okay, buster, what'd you do to Mal?!" Turquoise eyes are very disconcerting when they glare at you. Oz leaned back, unsure of what to make of her. "Um-what'd I do?" He asked, bemused. Marisa glowered at him. "Not ten minutes ago I saw Malorie sitting alone and crying outside the arcade. Now, what the heck did you do to her?! Break her heart?! Laugh at her?! What?!" "She was.crying?" Oz asked, bewildered. The very thought of Malorie crying was.disconcerting. Unreal, almost. "No, she was bloody playing cards with the Queen of England!!!" Marisa snarled. "YES, she was crying, you nitwit!!! And with good reason, too, unless you're not the one who claimed you loved her!!!!" Neo, Lance, and Andrew stopped quietly chatting to glance over at Oz, surprise on their faces. Oz blushed and muttered something. "WELL?!?!" Marisa shouted. "Did you or did you not say you loved her!!!!!" "I-I did." Oz mumbled, willing that she wouldn't set upon him and tear him limb from limb. "THEN, BLOODY HELL, WHY AREN'T YOU OUT THERE KISSING HER?!?!?!?!?!" Marisa screamed, shaking him back and forth like a maraca. "She's looking for me, isn't she?" Oz gasped slightly, blinking in recognition. "Oh, damn.and she can't find me." "NO, DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Marisa roared. "NOW- " She threw him towards the door. "Get out there and repair her heart before it breaks anymore!!!!!" She glared at him fiercely, backed by Angie's and Lacie's glowers. "Okay, okay!" Oz yelped. "I'm going, I'm going!" He stopped and looked back at Marisa. "Where am I going?" "THE ARCADE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Oz was blown out the door by the force of her rage. He nodded vigorously and took off, praying she hadn't left.  
* * * She had. Oz cursed every possible Deity he could think of, including all the ones from Greek and Egyptian cultures, for his bad luck. The world was against him today. He had the little sense to tell Mal he liked her-then failed to be in a convenient location-then she went and left from where she was supposed to be! Life just wasn't fair. He expected that-waking up one morning in Japan without the slightest clue to his identity had prepared him for that simple rule-but this went beyond all boundaries of unfairness. This was blasphemy. Bad luck and unfairness were interfering with his way to love!! That was not legal!! "God, please let me find her, and I will try to go to a church every Sunday that I can." Oz breathed, looking hopelessly around. "Or-at least, more than never." He frowned and sighed as he picked a random direction and raced off, praying it wasn't the wrong one. A few blocks away, Malorie looked down into the lake. She was standing on the deck the reached out over the water so boats could pull away without getting grounded on the sandy bottom. Tears were making tiny ripples on the water as she continued to sob, face red and pink from all her crying. She was wondering whether it would be more painful to tie an anchor to her leg and sink to the bottom to drown, or if stabbing herself with a convenient knife located on one of the boats used for picking up trash in the lake and possibly cutting animals free from debris. Drowning would take longer.but stabbing would definitely hurt.She buried her head in her arms and sobbed. She didn't want to die-but deep in her chest was an incredible ache that felt like it was tearing her apart. She couldn't bear that, nor the thoughts streaming through her head that were being whispered in a nasty voice much like Katrina's. You're not good enough!! The voices hissed. You're an ugly little wannabe fighter, and he was just playing a trick on you. See how nicely you fell? He knew you would, he's so good at teasing you, and you always respond, you idiot. You're such a dope. To think he could ever love you! Hah! "Stop it." Malorie whispered, clenching her eyes shut. "Stop, please.I can't bear this." Tears were soaking her shirt in a hot, silent flood. "Oz." Somewhere very far off, she thought she heard a very faint voice calling something. She concentrated on it, listening. Was it coming towards her? She didn't want company, she wanted to be alone! But yes-the voice was getting louder. She covered her ears, thinking maybe if she didn't hear it, whoever it was would go away. Dimly she could hear the voice. It was muted and strange through her hands-and definitely getting louder fast. She sighed in resignation and turned to run off the pier and find some quieter place to think and possibly commit suicide. Too late. Through her swamp of tears she saw a figure standing at the end of the dock. She attempted to wipe her eyes. "Hello." She sniffed, looking down. "Hello." A terribly, wonderfully familiar voice replied. Her head snapped up, hope and fear launching themselves pell-mell into her heart. She cleared her eyes to stare. Oz waved slightly at her, smiling. She cleared her throat, and laughed very nervously. "So.um.yeah, hi." "Did you figure out what I told you?" Oz asked, voice a nice, warm rumble deep in his throat.. Malorie nodded. "I-I guess-it's a funny joke-I guess." She mumbled. She had to come face-to-face with it sooner or later.a prank, just a stupid gag. "Who says it was a joke?" Oz inquired. So many emotions ran smack-dab into her mind that she nearly reeled from the sensation. "Wh-what?" Malorie gasped. "Who. Says. It. Was. A. Joke." Oz repeated like he was talking to an ignorant child. "Stop talking to me like I'm an idiot." Malorie snapped. Oz shrugged. "Suit yourself." On the horizon the sunset turned the sky into a golden painting of reds and purples. Oz turned green eyes to look at it. "Nice sunset." He commented. Malorie nodded, not turning around. "Look, are we just going to stand here and talk or what?" She asked finally. Oz shrugged. "It depends. If I kissed you now, would you hate me?" Malorie pretended to considerate this. "No. But if you don't, I might." Oz laughed a little as he came forward. Malorie smiled and looked up at the sky. "It really is a beautiful sight." She breathed as the day's last light faded from the sky. Oz chuckled as he wrapped an arm around her. "You're a very strange person, M&M." He whispered in her ear. Malorie turned around indignantly. "I am not-" Oz didn't wait for her to finish. The two stood close, lips locked together, as the last light faded and twilight settled in on the land.  
  
Yay! A couple FINALLY got together! Wow! ^_^ Ummmm.okay, bye! 


	22. Heat of Innocent PassionAngie and Alan

Chapter Twelve  
  
"You sure you don't need me to walk you home?" Kyle asked doubtfully. He and Rachelle were standing outside a restaurant, just finishing up a date. Rachelle smiled. "Kyle, your home's seven blocks in the other direction. Go on, it's only three blocks away, and you've got that test tomorrow, you told me." Kyle sighed and gave her a doubtful look. "This isn't the best part of town." Rachelle leaned close and whispered in his ear. "Hey, I'm a Scout, remember? It's all good." She kissed him lightly on his cheek before turning to walk away down the street, waving back. Kyle watched her go before turning around and starting the walk to his apartment building. Rachelle walked along the deserted, quiet streets. She bit her lip, fears gnawing up her stomach. Truth be told, she was frightened of this place. Glancing around nervously, she kept close to the streetlights, but not so close so that someone could pull up behind her in a car and grab her. She let out a small scream of fright as something moved in a dark alley and raced ahead a few feet, panting, clutching her bracelet close. Her heart was beating so loudly in her ears.she gave a very small smile and breathed deeply, willing herself to calm down. She frowned in annoyance as the sound remained in her ear, very softly now though. Then she realized the sound was not in her ears.no, it was coming from somewhere close behind her.very soft, very careful footsteps. She sped up slightly, a scream starting to well in her heart. "Now, don't panic, Rachelle." She breathed. "Probably just some local gang rapist coming up behind you with a knife about to slit your throat-" "Hey!" A friendly voice called from behind her. Rachelle's legs froze unwillingly. She slowly turned. A man with brown hair and dark eyes was right behind her, not even panting for all he must have sped up to catch her. His grin reminded her of a snake's smile. "What's wrong, sweetling? Where are you going so late at night?" "It's only eleven." Rachelle whispered, pleading with her legs to begin moving again. The man clucked and shook his head. "Too late for a sweet thing like you. Why don't you come along with me? I'll take good-care of you." His eyes roved shamelessly over her. Rachelle clutched her purse close, terror making her limbs quiver. "N-no thank you." "Now, don't be stuck up, sweetie." The man was edging closer, some cologne smell wafting off of him. "I'd like you to come along with me." "Get away from me!" Rachelle cried, raising her bracelet. Too late. The man grabbed both her wrists in one giant hand. Rachelle gasped as her transformer bracelet was shaken loose from her hand. It fell to the ground with a clatter. "Now, what's wrong?" The man asked, dark eyes glinting in triumph, his other hand smothering her mouth. "We're going to become very good friends." Rachelle bit his finger, sinking white teeth deep into flesh. The man cursed and drew it away. She opened her mouth and let out a scream that was quickly silenced as the man raised his hand-and- Her head hit the wall with a loud crack He hit me. She thought dazedly, feeling a bruise welling up on her cheek. Why couldn't she scream?! Sharp, hot hands were fumbling with her shirt now. Rachelle cried out and tried to kick, only to be rewarded with another blow. The man was over her, dark eyes so terrible- "GET THE HELL AWAY FROM HER!!!!!!!!!!!" Something golden flung the man aside. Rachelle slid down the wall, weeping. Warm hands-familiar hands-grabbed her shoulders. "Rachelle!" A warm voice whispered. "Rachelle, are you all right?!" "Kyle!" She gasped, opening her eyes and flinging arms around his neck. "Oh, Kyle, Kyle, Kyle!!" Kyle gently smoothed his girlfriend's hair. "Hey, are you all right?!" "He-he- " Rachelle gulped. "Where is he?! Where's that-that man- " Kyle jerked his head to the side. Rachelle peered over his shoulder and gasped. "You trying anything, you punk-ass creep?!" Diamond roared, slamming the would-be rapist into the wall. "Were you trying anything?!" "Get off it, bitch!" The man growled, trying to shove her off. This was a big mistake. The creep was on the ground bleeding from his head and mouth within two seconds. Diamond kicked him hard in the stomach. "I said, were you trying anything?!" She yelled, kicking him again and again. The man shook his head, tears squeezing out of his eyes. Diamond picked him up by the scruff of his shirt and threw him over the wall behind them into the park. "I didn't think so." She growled before turning around, eyes beginning to lose their hate-filled look. "Are you all right, Shellie?" She asked, kneeling by her friend. Rachelle nodded before bursting into tears and hugging Diamond close. "No!" She sobbed. "Angie-god-he was-dark eyes-sharp hands- " Diamond smoothed her friend's hair, murmuring soothing words into her ear. "Hey, come on now, no tears." She said gently. "No need for sadness. It's okay, it's over, he won't try it again." Rachelle nodded but only clung tighter to Diamond's bow, crying and crying. Diamond sighed and smoothed her friend's hair, giving Kyle a reassuring smile. "She'll be all right. Just shock." Kyle nodded his head, watching his firecracker sob into the Senshi's outfit. "What happened?!" A voice gasped from behind them as Amethyst and Emerald ran up. "Some-creep- " Kyle's kind voice was livid with anger. "She was almost raped." Emerald clapped a hand to her mouth as Amethyst gasped. "Is she all right?! Did you find her in time?!" "Actually, it was Diamond." Kyle said sheepishly, pointing at the golden girl. "She grabbed me and leapt over several buildings with me. Apparently she felt Shellie's terror or something." Emerald looked down at Diamond, who was still smoothing Rachelle's hair and singing softly to her. "Hey, it's okay." She heard their leader whisper tenderly. "Rachelle, it's okay. It's all over. You can stand this. Come on, stand up." Gulping, Rachelle obeyed, still hanging onto Diamond's shoulders. Diamond beamed like a mother whose toddler has just survived a scrape without tears. It was then that Emerald realized for the first time why Diamond was their leader. "She's our glue." She whispered, looking at Amethyst, who frowned politely. "Huh?" "Diamond. That's why she's our leader. She's the one that holds us together. She couldn't do it alone, and we could fight without her, but we wouldn't be a team. She makes us that way." Amethyst looked puzzled for a moment before she nodded in agreement, eyes full of understanding as she looked at Diamond's face.  
* * * Angie skipped merrily down the street, happiness clear on her face. Rachelle was still being comforted by Malorie and Elisha after what had happened last night, but she was definitely feeling better. Angie had a very deep suspicion that part of this might have resulted because of the fact that Kyle had insisted she come home with him that night. But he wouldn't have done anything. Maybe she was just paranoid. Hah. Right. And the Queen of England lived in Spain. Angie mulled over this thought for a few moments, still grinning. If that was what it took to get Rachelle all smiles again, it was completely fine by her. It almost seemed like Rachelle had to play sadness this morning, she had on such an incredibly bright look. She snickered to herself for a few moments. Oh yeah. That look pretty much closed the discussion. Unconsciously she began humming slightly, a familiar tune she had heard many times before, usually on weekdays around four in front of the television. "Fighting evil by moonlight.winning love by daylight.dum-de-dum-dee-dum-dee- dah-dah, so on and so forth, tra-la-la..." She giggled slightly and stopped to look in at a window display of a flower store. A smile lit up her face as she looked at the centerpiece of one particular bouquet. A white rose. Very fitting. Life was perfect. She turned around and ran smack dab into a woman carrying a large amount of shopping bags. Clothes and perfume went flying everywhere. Angie landed on the ground with a thump. "Ow!" She looked up at the woman apologetically. "I-I'm sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going-so sorry- " "You should be sorry, you little brat!" The plump woman-wearing a very expensive fur, oblivious to the fact it was ninety-three degrees out- snapped, bending down to pick up her shopping. "Look at this! Everywhere! All my new things! Ooh-" She glared down at the meek girl. "I certainly hope you're happy, you little clumsy oaf!" Angie's eyes filled slightly. She was not at all ready for this criticism, not so soon after everything had officially been declared wonderful. Her temper was completely gone. "I-I said I was sorry- " She began to help pick up, bending about, handling the expensive clothes and perfumes as carefully as she could. "Give me that!" The woman screeched, yanking the stuff from her grasp. Surprised, Angie let go. Once again, the stuff clattered to the pavement. "Oh, you horrible little swine!" The woman shrieked. "Look at you! You terrible little wretch! You did that on purpose!" She raised a hand as if to slap the golden-haired girl in front of her. Angie stared up at the oncoming hand, bewilderment and injury deep in her eyes. Why was this woman picking on her? Her perfect day was ruined. She closed her eyes and let the tears seep out from underneath, not caring who saw them. A strong hand wrapped firmly around the plump woman's wrist, stopping her before the hit even began its downward descent. "Excuse me." A cold voice said. "But I do not think you should be attempting to hurt this girl." "Let go of me, you man-handler!!!" The woman shrieked. Angie carefully opened one eye. The woman was struggling furiously against a tanned hand that was connected to a blue-sleeve-covered arm that was reaching from behind her. She began beating at the hand furiously with her purse, with very little success. "Oh-oh please-let go!" Angie said in surprise, gently releasing the woman from the firm grip. "I'm sorry, ma'am- " "Just stay away!" The woman screeched, grabbing up her bags. "Stay away from me, you wretch!" And in a flurry of bags and perfume, she whisked away down the street. Tears lined Angie's eyes. "She was so mean." She whispered. "Why? I didn't do anything to her." "Some people are like that, little Cat." A drawling voice said in her ear. Angie turned, a weak smile on her face. "Hello, Alan." She murmured. Damon cupped his Cat's face in one hand, thumb gently running across her cheek, wiping away the slowly falling tears. "Did she hurt you?" He asked in concern. Oh, would that woman get it from him if she was hurt! Angie's usually laughing eyes were swimming in a sea of tears. Angie laughed thickly and wiped her eyes. "Just my feelings." She replied softly. "But-everything was going so well-I should have snapped or something-but I just didn't feel like it." A strange prickling ran over her skin as Alan continued to run a finger lightly over it. Shock waves seemed to be shooting from her cheek. Very suddenly, the woman was completely gone from her mind. She closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation. Damon was amazed at how quickly those tears had dried in her eyes. Her eyes were half-closed now, and she was almost purring, like a lazy cat-the nickname seemed to suit her more than ever. He quickly dropped his hand from her cheek, ignoring his mind yelling at him for letting go. Angie was disappointed when the warmth left her cheeks, but she opened her eyes and smiled brightly anyway. "Thank you, by the way. That snob, trying to hit me- " She clenched her fists and scowled. "Oooh, I wish now I had given her a piece of my mind!" Without warning, she turned and yelled down the street. "Yeah, I hope all your perfume bottles broke, ya hag!! You old witch!!" Damon laughed and gently covered her mouth with his hand. "Whoa, Cat. She's long gone. Don't scare all these nice people." Indeed, several people were staring at them. Angie waved merrily, then turned around to look up at Alan. "What's up? Where are you going?" Damon shrugged, darkness fading in slightly in his eyes. His mind flew back to the conversation he and Ithengil had had not a half hour ago. Ithengil flung him up against the altar. "And what were you doing, saving that Sailor Senshi!?!?" He hissed at him. He shrugged "She deserves a better fight." Ithengil sighed. "Damon, I don't know if you're in lust or have a small crush or whatever, but GET OVER IT!!!! We don't have time for anymore interruptions! Yes, we do have a lot more energy, but not enough yet for you to go prancing around like king of the world!!! So next time we see her, you are going to kill her. Quickly and without delays. Understood?" "Understood." "Understood." Damon muttered under his breath. "Alan?" Startled, Damon looked down at Angie's puzzled expression. "You okay? You kinda spaced out there for a second." Damon forced a smile. "I'm all right." "So.?" Angie said slowly, as if waiting for a reply. "So?" "What's up? Why are you here? An appointment with friends, or something?" She smiled at him, a bright, beaming smile that almost completely healed away the thought of having to kill Diamond. Almost. "Just here for the sake of being here." Damon replied, grinning his quirky smile in return. Angie hesitated, then said slowly. "You-you probably want to do something else, but-um-" She stopped, then said in a rush, "Doyouwannahangoutwitmetoday?" "What?" Angie sighed, and repeated slowly. "Do you want to hang out with me today?" She winced and ducked her head, waiting for amusement, disgust, or even derision to fall. "I'd love to." She heard Alan calmly reply. Her head snapped up. She looked stunned. "What? R-really?!" Damon nodded. There was a pause, then Angie threw her arms up into the air and began dancing. "YAHOO! HAHA!!!! Take that, world!!! Hahaha!!!" Damon watched her leaping about, laughing in puzzlement. "What's wrong with you?" "HAHA!!!" Angie flung her arms around him. "Life is perfect again!! A friend to hang with!! Yay!!" She quickly let go and went frolicking about again, a barely discernible blush on her cheeks. But Damon did notice it. And he smiled. Angie was just beginning to get dizzy from spinning when a warm arm wrapped around her shoulders. She weaved drunkenly for a moment before grinning up at Alan, her body length pressed to his. Something flashed in Damon's memory. Dark room..one single light.some kind of music in the background.and Diamond's laughing eyes, looking up at him, so like hers. Similar thoughts were flying through Angie's mind. He does remind me of Damon, now I think of it. She thought. A twinge of guilt came into her mind as she realized her revelation from a few days ago. But-I love Alan too! I can feel it!! Isn't that like a curse violation?! Besides, Damon is an enemy. Alan's a regular guy. She shook her head and laughed, startling them both out of their thoughts. "Well?" She chirped, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet as she backed away slightly. "Come on! Let's go!" "To where?" Damon asked, one eyebrow rising up. Angie giggled and spread her arms. "Everywhere."  
* * * "Has anyone heard from Angie?" Elisha asked. All the girls were at the gym training harder than ever. "Not since the end of the first patrol shift." Mary answered, carefully dodging a laser in the wall. "So where is she?" Lacie asked, trying not to let the concern she felt slip into her voice. "Probably just out somewhere having fun." Rachelle said, watching the punching bag mistrustfully. "I mean, come on, she deserves a break once in a while. We all do." "Still, that's no excuse for playing hooky." Lune said severely. "I may have to hurt her." "Violent kitty, aren't you?" Chase muttered. He was in a corner reading a novel and was being watched very carefully by Lune and Demetri. "Oh, let her alone, Lune." Marisa said from her place high up on a trapeze. To herself, she added softly, "I think Diamond's going through more than we know."  
* * * Damon couldn't remember the last time he'd been so happy, if ever. He affectionately watched the golden-haired girl, studying her opposition so carefully, pink tongue sticking out of the corner of her mouth. "CURSE YOU, YOU EVIL THING!!!!!!!!!" Angie roared, kicking her adversary. The game in front of her blipped a few times in return as the words "GAME OVER" flashed over the screen. Angie scowled at it, muttering black curses. "Stupid game." She growled, turning to look up at Alan, who was watching her in amusement. "What?" She asked, flinging her hair back. "Stupid game always cheats on me! It is too afraid of my great game-playing skills!" She stuck her tongue out at the machine and turned her back on it. "Evil." "I am very sorry the wicked game played a deceitful, unworthy trick." Damon said solemnly, eyes sparkling with laughter. "Oh, shut up." Angie said good-naturedly, smacking his arm. "You're making fun of me, I know it. Cut it out." Damon bowed melodramatically. "As you say, great lady!" Angie smacked him again, then bounced up and down with a squeal. "Oooh, that's right! The carnival's in town! We can go there! Come on!" She grabbed his hand and took off, dragging him after her. "Wait!" Damon yelled in alarm. "What's a carnival?!" Angie looked back at him and giggled. "You'll see!"  
* * * Damon blinked rather confusedly at the large, brightly colored construction in front of him. "What is this?" Angie giggled. "No roller coasters in Monaco?" "Roll-er-Co-ster?" Damon inquired, rolling the words around in his mouth. "What's that?" "This, my friend." Angie gestured at the roller coaster-named "The Hurler"- dramatically. "Is the number one greatest invention of our age, next to television and VCRs." Damon stared at her, perplexed. "So what's it do?" Angie grinned, grabbed his hand, and pulled him up into a line full of ten or twelve people. A train of cars pulled into the station. Angie bounced up and down as they got in the one at the front. She yanked the safety bar down on their laps. "Hang on!" She chirped. Damon started as the train began to move forward. "What's happening?" He asked uncertainly as they began to climb a very big hill. Angie giggled, clutching the safety-bar and grinning at him. "I'd hold on, if I were you. First time is usually kind of scary." "First.time.?" Damon repeated slowly as their car carefully inched over the top of the hill. "For what?" The car hesitated, then angled downward and flew down the very steep drop. "YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!!" "WHEEEEEEEHEEEEHEEHEEHEEEHEEEEHEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Damon was yelling his lungs out as this thing sped off with them, turning corners and somersaults with speed and downright insanity. Angie at his side was screaming in mirth, cackling and flinging her arms up in the air. She obviously did not know how extensively run down and hazardous this-this- machine was!!! He could hear the joints and beams creaking under them!! And yet-in an incredibly stupid, crazy way-this was fun. The ride came to an abrupt stop back at the station. Angie grabbed his arm, screaming with laughter. "HAHAHA!!!! WHOO-HOO!!! Man, I absolutely LOVE roller coasters!! Even these creepy rickety carnival ones." She giggled dazedly. "Wait a sec- " Damon pushed bluish hair out of his eyes. "You knew this thing's hazardous?!" Angie nodded with a laugh. "I know, it's really unstable and probably could break at any time-but I just LOVE these things!!" She giggled again. Damon sighed, then attempted to stand. He couldn't. "Um-Angie?" "Yeah?" "How does this thing go up?" Angie stared at him. "You just push it up, silly!" She demonstrated. Nothing. "Uh-oh." "So-now what?" Damon asked sarcastically, yanking up harder. A metallic voice bleeped on and said, "Please keep your safety-breaks down, hands and legs inside the car at all times, and enjoy your ride!!" "Oh, no." Damon muttered as they began climbing the hill again. "YAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!" "WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!" Six rides later.. "Okay, there is NO way I am going on again!" Angie growled, pulling up hard on the thing. "The first three times were fun, but now this is just boring! Hey, can we get some help?! Hello!!" Damon sighed, then glanced down at the evil bar. It seemed to be smirking at him. There was a sharp "snap!" Angie turned back around to find Alan calmly holding the bar that was no longer attached to its hinges. "Okay." He said calmly, tossing it away and standing up. "Let's go." Angie stared at him as they walked down the ramp back into the crowds. Then, without any warning, she completely cracked up. Damon pounded her gently on the back as she roared with laughter, choking and gasping, tears running down her face. "Why didn't you do that earlier?!" She demanded through her howls. Damon shrugged, an apologetic smile on his face. "I have no idea. I guess I just didn't think of it." Angie nodded. This made more sense than it didn't. "Wanna hit the Midway?" "The what?" "Oh, just come on." Five minutes later, Damon was staring at a stack of white bottles in some confusion. "So let me get this straight." The game clerk-a snobby looking well-endowed blond girl with fingernails the size of hummingbirds and who was snapping a piece of gum impatiently- sighed. "You throw the ball at the bottles. You knock all three down, you get a prize." She indicated the large stuffed tigers and bunnies above them. Angie squeaked with joy as she spotted a large bunny. "Oooh! A pink one! Lemme try, lemme try!" She forked over a dollar. The clerk gave her a baseball, then leaned back on the counter, a smug sneer on her face. Angie leaned back, then threw it with not bad accuracy or strength. The ball hit the center of the bottles-and only knocked over the top one. "Oh." The clerk said in false sympathy. "Tough luck, sweetie. Maybe next time." Angie sighed, then glared at the remaining bottles. "Should've known." She muttered to Alan. "This entire thing is set up. No one can knock all three over." She sighed and did her best to look cheerful. Damon considered her for a moment. Behind his back, he quickly transfigured a dollar bill into the air. He handed it to the arcade woman, who looked him up and down with a snort. "So, you wanna try, handsome?" She asked mockingly, handing another baseball over to Damon. Angie sighed. "You're wasting your money, Alan. This thing is jipped." She glared at the woman, who rolled her eyes and blew a bubble. Damon leaned back, smiling a little as he infused some energy into the ball. He threw it with all his strength. BAM!!!!!! The bottles went flying in multiple directions. Damon grinned triumphantly at the shocked look on the clerk's face. Angie squealed and bounced up and down, hugging him. "HAH!!!! Go, Alan!! Man, that was truly beautiful!!!!" Damon gave her a sideways hug while he smirked at the attendant. The girl's face changed in an instant. She smiled slowly at Damon. "Hmmm, you must work out, huh?" She asked drawlingly, running a finger lightly up and down his arm. Damon suddenly felt very uncomfortable. "Can we please get our prize?" He asked. Beside him, Angie was beginning to snicker. "Which one, cutie?" The girl asked, leaning towards her and showing off more than was strictly necessary. Angie's snickers began to grow louder. Damon leaned back awkwardly. "Um, the large-" He looked at Angie. "Pink bunny!" She finished excitedly, wrapping an arm firmly around his very visibly. The girl's face fell slightly, but she snorted a little before turning about and stretching up to reach the large bunny. She handed it to him with a bright smile. "Hey, can I get your phone number?" Damon blinked at her, confused. "I don't have one." This was too much. Angie screamed with laughter and pulled him away from the girl's crestfallen and puzzled expression. "Oh my God!" She chortled as soon as they were far enough away, clutching the pink bunny with both arms and hugging it close. "Whew! Took the wind right out of her sails, let me tell you!" She snickered. "Do you seriously not have a phone number?" "What's a phone number?" Damon asked curiously. "More, what's a phone?" Angie sighed. "Monaco must be the most isolated place in the universe. A phone is an invention that lets you communicate over long distance by transferring your sound waves into energy." The amused look on her face grew to seriousness as she fought to remember. "The energy goes soaring over telephone lines until it goes to the person you want it to. Everyone with a phone has a phone number. So you dial in this number to talk to a certain person. Understand?" Damon blinked at her. "Um-I think so." Angie laughed, solemnity gone from her voice. "But the way that clerk was trying to hit on you-HAH!!!!! Path-et-ic!! Though, come to think of it, she was very pretty. Why didn't you go for her?" Damon shrugged. "Not my type." Angie giggled and skipped ahead slightly as she saw the swings. "And what is your type?" She called back over her shoulder. Damon did not reply. He merely watched the happy gold girl dancing about in the sunshine.  
* * * Several hours later, around five o'clock, Angie was clutching onto Alan's arm and roaring with laughter. They had been on almost every ride at the park, even the kiddy ones-and the look on those people's faces when they got in line and rode on the itty-bitty bumper cars-! She giggled and sighed, leaning her head on Alan's arm as they reached the top of a hill. Nearby they heard a moan. Angie turned to see a sad old man-who looked suspiciously like Mr. Rogers-lying in a gutter, crying. Beside him, Mary was patting his head and feeding him a banana, clucking and petting him. "Mary?" Angie asked uncertainly, walking over. "What on earth- " Mary looked up with a relieved grin. "There you are! Where've you been, you idiot?! We've been worried about you! Didn't check in, didn't call-" Her eyes moved past her, and widened. "Hiya, Alan!!" She called with a wave. Alan waved back. "What are you doing?" Angie asked seriously, pointing down at the weeping old man. Mary grinned evilly and scratched the man's head. "I stole his wheelchair yesterday and he's been here ever since." "You did WHAT?!?!" Angie demanded, shaking Mary by the shoulders. "WHY?!" "I always wanted to ride down that hill in a wheelchair!!" Mary said defensively, pointing to the large hill Angie and Alan had just climbed up. "And so yesterday I stole this dude's wheelchair-oh, there, there." She said soothingly as the man let out an extra loud wail. "And he's just sort of been sitting here crying ever since." Angie sighed. "Get him home RIGHT NOW, Mary!!" She growled. "And I mean it!!" Mary saluted smartly. "Yessir!!" She yanked the old man off and ran away with him, cackling insanely as the man wheezed and puffed, trying to keep up. Angie sighed and shook her head. "And that's one of my best friends." She muttered to Alan as she jogged back to him. "Man! Completely, totally crazy." "It shows." Damon replied, staring after Mary in wonderment. "Was she dropped on her head as a child?" Angie laughed a little. "Not that I know of. Of course, that would explain everything." "The ears of a fox catch all!!!" Mary yelled from quite some distance away. Angie giggled as Damon stared. "How did she hear?" He asked Angie. "Mary's senses have always been-better than most." Her eyes suddenly sharpened on a nearby alley. A brown-haired man with dark eyes was sitting in front of it, smoking a cigarette. He was watching her in a very rude way. "Oh, I remember you all right, buddy." Angie growled under her breath, glaring at the man. "Pardon?" Damon asked, looking at the creep also. He was eyeing his little cat in a way that Damon did not like at all. "That creep tried to rape my best friend." Angie hissed, anger clear in light blue eyes. "Rape?" Angie turned bewildered eyes on Alan. "Rape. You know." She cleared her throat and blushed. "What's rape?" Damon asked curiously, eyes dancing. He knew what it was, of course, but this was interesting and humorous. "Well, it's-" Angie looked up in his eyes and saw the expression there. "ARGH!!! You idiot!! You knew what it was!! You pervert! Sicko!" She laughed and hit his shoulder. Damon winced. She punched hard for a fourteen-year-old girl. "This creep tried to rape who last night?" He asked to avoid getting hit again. "Rachelle." Angie answered, righteous detestation flaring again. "She was terrified, the poor thing-though I saw the scar on his finger, she must've bit him pretty good- " The brown-haired man leered at her from his alleyway. "Okay, that's it!!" Angie growled, puffing herself up like a mother hen. "Just a sec, please, Alan. I'm going to give this creep a bit more of a lesson!" She walked away, muttering under her breath. "I mean, Sailor D must not have given him enough of one." "Sailor D?!" Damon demanded, grabbing her shoulder. "Sailor Diamond?! She saved your friend?!" Angie looked up at him, eyes widening in surprise. "Yeah, she did. Why?" Damon forced himself to let go. "Nothing, I just-" He gave a slightly forced smile. "Sailor Diamond-she's cool, you know?" Angie giggled. "Yeah, she's my favorite." She whirled around and stalked towards the man. "Mine too." Damon whispered under his breath. "Mine too." The man slowly stood up as Angie drew closer. He grinned at her in a way that made her blood boil. "Hey, there, innocence. Come to talk to me?" Angie glared at him, eyes turning like the blue flame found in the hottest of fires. "You nearly raped my friend last night, you pervert." The man threw his hands up in mock dignity. "I don't need to rape anyone! They- " he smiled at her, "-come to me. Besides, how do you know it was me?" "Trust me." Angie said, face deadpan. "I know." The man shrugged and moved towards her slightly. "I think your friend more came onto me, sweetheart- " "LIAR!!!!!!" The man was flung back against the wall of the alley, a fury of a girl grabbing him by the throat. "Whoa, toots, can't we find a room first?" The man joked, trying to remove her fingers from his throat. Angie only clenched harder. The man began to gasp for air. "You dare-" She hissed. "You dare try anything like that ever again, I will find you. And I will kill you, make no mistake. And I don't care if the law comes down on me also. I will kill you!!!" The man wheezed as she let him go, dropping to the ground. "You're-you're crazy!" He gasped. "Nah." Angie answered coldly, walking away. "Just a bit overprotective." Damon whistled as the girl stalked back up to him. "Have a nice talk?" "I hear any more reports of rape downtown, I'm going to go right to that creep and kill him." Angie told him peevishly, clenching her fists. "I mean it. One little hint-" She made a violent motion with her hands. Damon sighed. "Don't get yourself in trouble, all right? Some of these guys are dangerous." Angie grinned, a secretive grin. "I'll just get Sailor Diamond to come along with me and help!" "I think she's a bit busy saving the world from the bad guys, don't you?" Damon retorted, wincing inside slightly. He hadn't really thought of himself from a human's point of view before. Angie shrugged. "She'll come. Her people mean a lot to her. To all of them." Damon shook his head. "She won't. The bad guys-they take up a lot of her time, I'll bet." Angie put her hands on her hips and glared up at him. "She would come!! Diamond cares a lot about others! She understands that a lot of people are in pain now!! She'll fight evil on the streets, not just the stupid general-bad guys!" "How do you know?" Damon challenged. "Do you know her?!" "As a matter of fact, I have met her!!" Angie growled, putting her nose up in the air. "And they're wonderful. They all are." Damon snickered. "Bet I know her better." "Hah!" Angie sniffed. "What, she rescued you?!" "Um-yes." Damon replied uncomfortably. "Liar." Angie said cheerfully. "Complete, total liar." "Well, she didn't save you either, I bet." Damon snapped. He couldn't remember seeing her anywhere near the battles. "She saves me every time she goes into battle against the evil." Angie answered calmly. I save everyone. I care about everyone. Every life form on this planet means something to me. Even the creepy or evil ones. Damon sighed. "Fine." He grinned down at her. "But then, how do you know her personally, eh?" Angie's eyes twinkled. "Oh, that's my secret." Her eyes lit up as she looked across the street. "Oooh! Look!! The park! Happy! Let's go!" She grabbed Alan's hand and raced into the park, skidding to a stop beside a row of daffodils and honeysuckle. She stared at them, entranced. "Oh..." "What?" Damon asked, looking down at the vegetation. "They're just plants." Angie turned bewildered blue eyes on him. "Only plants? These aren't only plants, my friend. These are-" She gazed reverently at the flowers. "These are beautiful. Think of this: probably not a week ago, these were just little sprouts sticking their tiny heads out of the ground. And now." She smiled at the pretty yellow and white heads turned up at her. "They're magnificent jewels. They're beautiful. And in another week, a lot of these will wilt and die, but their beauty might have touched dozens, maybe hundreds, by that time, and made them just a bit happier." Damon's heart gave a funny little jerk in his chest. The glazed look over those eyes, blue as a summer's day.the way her lips curved up just slightly into a tiny smile.her hair coiled around her shoulders, falling in waves to the middle of her back.it was all just a little too much. An idea sprang into his mind, and he thanked whatever divinity was listening for at least a shred of brilliance. Angie blinked in surprise as Alan lightly hit her shoulder and took off across the grass, long legs moving incredibly fast. "Tag!" He yelled back. "You're it!" "What?!" She yelled as Alan ran away. "Alan!!!" "It's a game, remember?!" He called back, already a long way off. "It's fun!" Angie laughed as she began to try to catch up, speeding over the grass. "Wait!" She gasped, breathless. Alan was still running, and he had a head start. "Wait for me!!" Damon laughed and turned, running backwards as smoothly as if he was flying. Angie raced along, panting slightly. He slowed enough to let her catch up, then, without warning, he grabbed her around her waist. Angie shrieked as she suddenly found herself being carried. "Alan!" She screeched, laughing insanely. "Put me down!!" The ground was flying by a few feet beneath her. How fast could this kid run?! Damon chuckled as Angie twisted around in his arms so she could pound his chest slightly. "What are you doing?!" She cried, giggling. Damon grinned down at her as his destination came close. A soft splashing of sound came into Angie's hearing, and a soft mist sprayed on the back of her head and shoulders. She turned her head sideways, and shrieked. The fountain in the center of the park was just beneath her, the spray from the top of it falling gently down on her. With a quirky grin, Alan lifted her over the pool in the fountain's center. Angie shrieked and clutched tightly to his shirt. "Alan!" She screamed. "Don't you dare drop me, you idiot!!" She was laughing at the same time that she cried out. Damon chuckled mischievously. He pretended to drop her, letting his arms fall an inch or so. Angie squealed and clutched tighter at him. "Alan! Don't! Don't you dare!" She said, half-screaming in laughter. Damon grinned. "Say I'm the best." He ordered. Angie gasped, eyes twinkling. "Blackmail! Never!" "Say I am a truly gifted person who is a wonderfully strong, handsome, and brave knight in armor." Damon ordered, holding her even further out. "Or I'll drop you!" Angie shrieked as the spray wet her face. "All right! You are a truly gifted person who is wonderfully strong and brave knight in armor!" "You forgot handsome." Damon teased. "Handsome!" Angie yelled as he made to drop her. "Handsome! Beautiful! Stunning! Now don't drop me!!" Damon laughed and carefully pulled back away from over the fountain. Angie sagged in his arms, still clutching his shirt, laughing and gasping as she wiped her face on her sleeve. Unintentionally, she snuggled into his chest. The laughter died on Damon's lips as the golden haired mortal snuggled into his side. His heart gave the same funny twist he had felt earlier, only this time it went on and on, not fading for an instant, merely growing as he studied her cheeks, her eyes, her hair, her lips. Angie beamed up at Alan-and her smile faded slightly. He was studying her in a way that suddenly made her feel boiling hot all over. She licked her lips, suddenly nervous. Damon's eyes fastened on her tongue as it peeked out from in between pink lips and tiny white teeth. Something was raging through him-something warm, something that he had felt when Diamond smiled at him. His arms tightened instinctively around the girl. Angie stared up at Alan's eyes, hands wrapped around his neck. The light blue in them was fading to a deep rich blue, almost black. She stared into them, fascinated. "Alan." She began softly. Damon stared down at the girl as her sky-colored eyes flashed with shyness and something hot and fiery. She was so warm in his arms-why wasn't she on fire? Slowly, his head bent down towards hers. Angie closed her eyes. His breath was warm on her face as he bent towards her. She felt giddy, almost weightless. The familiar feeling of warm affection and love was soaring through her veins. Damon half-smiled as Angie's eyelashes closed together, a fine vapor misting over them from the fountain. He slowly closed his own eyes- Unbidden, a thought of Angie flashed across his mind, only Ithengil was there, angry because he cared for another-black energy-consuming her- killing her-that purity, that bright flame of life that had drawn him like a moth out of the darkness, gone forever- Damon quickly pulled back away from those tempting lips. He gently placed the girl on the ground. She swayed on her feet for a moment, confusion deep in her eyes. "Alan-" Damon turned away from her pleading eyes. "You should go." He told her, voice rough and firm. "I-I'm sorry." It was incredible how she felt around this man. A moment ago, she would have easily claimed to be the happiest girl on Earth. And now her heart was breaking down the center, splintering into a million pieces. "O-okay." She whispered, voice breaking. "I-I'll see you another time, I guess." I should have known. He's too wonderful, too perfect for someone like me. Tears fogging her vision, she turned and flew out of the park as fast as her feet could take her. Damon sighed as he watched her run away, something tearing deep in his chest. He scooped up a handful of water from the fountain and rubbed his face with it. He could not be with her. She didn't even know what he was!! And if she did.she'd hate him. She'd have to. He pounded the marble base of the pond in frustration. The two people he actually cared for-both torn from his grasp because of his stupid identity. A soft step on the ground behind him made Damon swing around. An old man leaning on a walking cane was eyeing him from a few feet away, eyes keen and intent from under gray, bushy eyebrows. "May I help you, sir?" Damon asked with a hint of a snarl in his voice, wishing the man would go away. "No, but I believe that I can help you, if you'll take my advice." The man replied in a gravelly voice. "Speak." Damon said, wondering what this was about. The man chuckled. "I am old, and lord knows my senses are not what they once were. Yet even my failing ears could hear that young girl's heart breaking, and my eyes could still discern the tears in those pretty eyes." He studied Damon intently. "And they can still see the love in your eyes, young sir." Damon shifted uncomfortably. "It's truly no business of yours- " "Why do you push her away?" The old man asked bluntly. "It is obvious you are in love with her, and she with you. Why not take advantage of this? I assure you, young master, that not many people find their soul mates in this world. Why pass up this opportunity and let your other half run away from you?" "Sir," Damon growled. "If I wasn't in such a confused mood, I would probably kill you instead of answering your questions. But she is so young- " "And you're so ancient, I see." If only he knew! "-very young, and innocent. She is as pure and wonderful as they make them. I am not." Damon pounded his forehead in frustration. "I have secrets, and dark ones at that. I am not who she believes me to be! Would you have me break that innocence?! All right, I'll admit she was wonderful-god, she was like the sun in my arms-I can't take that away! I won't!" With this firm statement delivered, and the man seemingly not having a reply, Damon turned away, fully intending to go back to the base. Words came softly like magic out of the old man's mouth- "Would you have her turn into the sun anywhere else?" Damon froze unwillingly, eyes and expression blank. The old man continued. "That girl is beautiful and charming and wonderful, young man. She will not go unnoticed. Another will pick her up, and he would perhaps not treat her as kindly as I believe you would." Damon's fists clenched involuntarily. "Would you have her heart go to another? If it is not you, then someone else shall. As for you not being who she believes you to be-she loves you. She will understand." With a quiet chuckle, the man began to stiffly walk away across the grass. Damon stood frozen for a few minutes, staring off into the sunset. The man had hit every possible weak spot he could. The thought of his little cat in another's arms made him very much insane with jealousy. And if anyone would understand about his predicament, it'd be her. His head lifted, and had anyone been around to see, they would have seen eyes as clear and deep as the ocean, without any doubt whatsoever He calmly turned around and began to run in the direction that his angel had disappeared, heart singing in his chest.  
  
::BLINK:: Wow.people actually demanding I update? YAY! ::squeals:: Wheeeeee! Sorry for the delay.my life has been rather incredibly hectic. It's better now, though. Next chapter should come soon! 


	23. A Romance of White and Black Roses the T...

Night was falling as Damon scoured the streets hesitantly. He had used his powers to fly above and search the streets-but she hadn't been near her house, but not near the park either. It was confusing, and he didn't like it. A scream from an abandoned lot caught his attention. He landed outside in the shadows, human disguise still intact. As he turned the corner, Jedin's blond head popped up from where he and Spike where standing. "Hey, you!" He called happily, waving a hand. "Spike, look! Our little buddy's come to join us!" "What's going on?" Damon asked guardedly as he approached them. He could see someone behind his two comrades-but most of him was hidden. Spike smiled at him. "We got one of the brats that apparently annoyed Jedin the first day. Tough little witch, but we're going to at least get some revenge on Diamond. She'll never know what hit them. A human will just suddenly be found dead." A small whimper escaped from the person behind Spike. Damon shoved him out of the way, a horrible clenching in his gut. He knew that whimper, as instinctively as he knew his own soul. Angie's terrified lapis lazuli eyes looked up at him. She was pressed up against the wall, limbs quivering and betraying her state of fear. "Alan!" She gasped, relief flooding her. "Oh, thank God-" Damon stared down at her, dark eyes unreadable. "Angie? Oh lord." He turned around to glare at Spike. "This human is my friend, Spike. Can't you choose another?" Spike shook his head. "No way, mate. This one's mocked us. Besides, we're too low on energy. She's perfect. Full of life, full of spirit-" He licked his lips hungrily. Angie watched the two, eyes wide and terrified. Damon looked at her, then drew Spike aside and growled. "Spike, man, you're my friend, right? Do me this favor! Choose another, please! She-she means something to me. Something deep." He touched his chest for emphasis. Spike's eyes narrowed. "Another one, Damon? Here, you're becoming a regular softie." He shook his head. "One more reason to kill her. You must destroy any and all weaknesses. It's how you grow strong. In fact-" He smiled savagely. "Perhaps you should do the honors. Quench the weakness quickly." Angie's frightened eyes darted from Spike to Alan as they turned back from their conversation. "Alan?" She asked unsurely, seeing the dark look in his eyes. "What's going on?" Damon looked down, heart as cold as ice again. "I'm sorry." He muttered roughly, rubbing his eyes with one hand. Angie stared at him. He wouldn't leave her here, would he?! Damon closed his eyes, locking out the look of betrayal in his bird's eyes. Angie watched in horror as Alan's face changed. Bluish hair became inky black like the night sky above, light blue eyes changed to cerulean depths. His stance went to the aggressiveness she had seen so many times before, lean body becoming covered with black leather pants, a black turtleneck, and a black trench coat. Damon looked down at the trembling girl from his height. His eyes were hidden in shadows. "I guess I should formally introduce myself now." He said quietly. "My name's Damon." Angie gaped up at him, mind completely exploding with thoughts and emotions. "You-you- " She stuttered. "You-and them-evil-trying to kill us-I fight- " Damon looked down at her, something like regret in his eyes. Jedin and Spike moved like fire to grab her arms and hold her still. Angie shrieked and struggled slightly. "Let me go!" She cried pleadingly. "Alan-Damon- please- " Damon bent low to look at her. "I have to." He murmured. Angie stared at him, eyes filled with tears. Damon jumped back slightly as Angie suddenly yanked her arm out of Spike grip to swing at him. She turned the swing into a punch at Jedin. He let go in surprise and fell back a few feet. Angie leaned back and kicked Spike in his abdomen, causing him to stagger back, staring at the blond. Damon stared at her. "Angie- " Angie laughed suddenly even as her eyes overflowed. "I guess we all have our secrets, don't we?" She asked Damon, sapphire eyes meeting his squarely. "And I guess it's time you knew mine." The generals stared at her. A funny sensation was prickling at the back of Damon's mind. Angie gently removed the bracelet that had been hidden underneath the folds of her long-sleeved shirt. She raised it to the sky, giving Damon a tender smile. "DIAMOND STAR POWER-MAKE UP!!!!!!!!!" Golden and white light erupted in the lot. Damon did not shield his eyes this time. He merely stared, transfixed. Angie's clothes disappeared as the light swirled around her. Her bracelet changed from an accessory to a large golden charm that implanted itself in the middle of her chest. White light swarmed out from it, forming a leotard that clung close to her skin. Angie raised her arms and gold light raced up them, forming elbow gloves. The same light flew down to her feet, forming boots that raised to the middle of her thighs. A golden skirt swirled around her hips as the remaining power swirled up to form a golden tiara on her forehead and a large white diamond on her right glove. Angie placed her hands on her hips as the transformation ended. Damon did not even blink. He merely stared at her, eyes narrowed in shock. Sailor Diamond dusted herself off slightly and smiled at the other two generals, who were looking somewhat shell-shocked. "Surprise?" She asked softly, in that voice that Damon knew he should have recognized. He almost couldn't believe it, though it was a half-curse, half-blessing. He didn't have to worry about breaking anyone's heart-but they knew who she was, now- but she could defend herself-he almost smiled as he admired Diamond's stance. She was afraid, but she wouldn't ever show it, not in a million years. Diamond studied them all a moment more, then quickly back flipped over the wall behind her and took off into the night. Spike and Jedin began roaring in synchronism. Damon ignored them. He stared at where she had been, a smile still on his face. It made sense, now.the two were so similar.same golden hair..same light skin..same beautiful eyes. His mind began taking him back through all the memories he had of her, both Diamond and Angie. The angry look on Diamond's face when he first saw her, the look that had quickly melted into shock-her scent, so full of life-the way she glared at him as he made to attack her-the way she had looked emerging from Katrina's Unum-the fierce look on her face when he had trapped her inside his shield on the top of the structure-the pain as she was hit by the shield's energy-her smile as he brushed her hair-the terror on Angie's face after he had saved her-Diamond's mysterious smile as they had danced-her face bathed in moonlight-thousands of images were swarming through his mind, each one twisting his heart slightly more. "Right!" Spike snapped, jerking Damon out of his thoughts. "Let's get her! She can't have gone far! Let's move it!" He pointed over the wall. "I'll head that way. Jedin-" He gestured to the right. "Head out onto the streets. Damon-" He gave Damon a suspicious look before pointing to the left. "That way." Damon nodded his assent, fury nearly choking him. Spike had given him the way that she would have been least likely to go in. He turned, muttering blackly. A blaze of gold streaking over a building in his direction made him leap into the air. Diamond was there! In a flash he was in hunting mode, eyes fastened on the golden girl flying away across the concrete jungle.  
* * * Diamond tore away across the city towards the park, tears flying out of her eyes. Her brain was commanding her to flee as fast as she could, as quick as a deer from a wolf. Her heart was screaming at her to turn around and find Damon again. She understood now how she could have cared for them both. all this time, her heart had been showing her the truth, that it was truly only one that she was in love with, for they were the same. And she was in love. Completely, totally, madly, blindly, head-over-her-damn-heels in love. Damn you, Damon. She whispered in her head. Damn you for making me fall in love with you. She almost smiled as she saw her destination in mind. The park. There were enough hiding places there for her to be safe. She'd just wait until a few hours had passed and this had blown over, and then she'd go home- Home. But Damon knew who she was. He knew where she lived. He knew every god-damned bit of her. Home would no longer be a sanctuary. A sob retched out of her throat; she bit it down angrily. She would not cry now. Crying would come when this was all over. She leapt down into the park and immediately hid in some large bushes. Underneath they were practically hollow. Moonlight from the full moon streamed in through the branches. Diamond quickly scanned the sky and the world around her, then breathed a sigh of relief-and regret. No one had followed her. She could stay hidden, for now at least. The moon really is pretty, tonight, she reflected dreamily, staring up at the huge moon in the sky above. Almost like a diamond itself. All alone up there.like me...like Diamond.. She choked back a bitter laugh. God, she was such a philosophical idiot. She was alone, and she would remain alone. If she was alone, no one could hurt her. But she would never have her safe loneliness again. Her heart had been split into pieces and shelled out to her parents, her brother, her school friends, her best friends and sisters-Mary, Lacie, Rachelle, Elisha, Malorie, and Marisa-Lune and Demetri, who were like second parents now, and-  
  
And Damon. She sighed as tears drifted down her face, then turned back into the shadowy den of her hiding place. She had not gone a step before she suddenly hit something tall, warm, and hard. Diamond fell back against the wall surrounding the park, heart beating so fast she felt it would pop right out of her chest. She knew who she had run into in the dark, as easily as she knew she own name. Azure eyes flashed in the darkness. "Hello, Diamond." Diamond breathed in deeply and quickly. "Hello, Damon." She whispered. In the shadows, the two stared at each other. "Look." Diamond said finally. "I'm not going to let you hurt me. I-I don't care if you're Alan or what, Damon, I'm not about t-to let you hurt me!" Her voice quavered more and more as her protests got louder. "I-I-I won't! I-I may c-care for you, b-but I'm not g-going to let m-myself get injured. You've already b-broken my heart, can't you just leave me-" Damon had been listening to this tirade with some interest. Now he moved forward to gently place a finger on her lips. "You're way too noisy, you know that, right?" He whispered to his captured cat. Diamond opened her mouth to protest-and found she was unable to. Because Damon's mouth was covering her mouth, his lips finally on hers. Her eyes opened wide and she gasped into the kiss. The warmth from before came back full blast, and she half-moaned. She felt full of fire, heat swarming up from the pit of her stomach, drawn up by Damon. She trembled, filled with a feeling so achingly pure. Damon sighed into the kiss. She was as sweet as he had imagined, like honey, like roses. Intoxicated, he delved into her mouth, listening to her small whimpers. The full force of what he had pent up inside him ever since he had first met her was let loose in a raging wave. His hands entwined around her waist, holding her close. He felt her arms run up his sides to clamp around his neck. As the kiss deepened, Diamond's knees buckled. She had never imagined it could feel like this, this raging heat scorching her limbs, her heart soaring up into pure bliss. Damon was exploring her lightly, and she let him, feeling as if he were drawing the fire out of her with every movement. I'm in love. She thought giddily as her knees gave way. Damon, sensing this weakness, carefully leaned her back, softening his advances to gentle butterfly kisses. Finally he pulled away, smiling down at the gasping golden girl in his arms. "God, was that worth it." He whispered, gently running a finger up and down her cheek. "Little cat.my angel..." "Damon." She whispered, hands still interlaced behind his neck. "Why." She closed her eyes and snuggled into his chest, strength returning to her legs. Fire was still coursing through her body, wanting something she couldn't describe or name. Damon half-groaned as she pressed up against him. "Easy, love." He whispered, embracing her tightly. "It's okay now." "They know." Diamond whispered, tears falling as realization hit her. "They know who I am. They know that you know me." "Shhh." Damon murmured, gently placing his lips on her hair. "It'll be all right, love. Everything's going to be all right." "No." Diamond replied softly. "It'll never be all right." She looked up at him, shaking her head. "Nothing will ever be the same again." A shout from overhead made Damon look up, eyes instantly black and protective. Diamond squeaked in fear and buried into his shirt. He patted her head gently. "Don't worry." "But- " She began. He gently placed a finger on her lips, a wicked smile on his face. "I'll try and draw them away." He whispered. "Then you run for it. But- " He sighed. "You might not want to go home for a while." Diamond understood his meaning. She nodded seriously, then timidly smiled up at him. "Thank you." Damon grinned, then swiftly kissed her again before leaping up out of the bushes and taking off into the night. Diamond sighed and leaned against the wall, a slow smile covering her face as she gently touched her lips. "I suppose you're very proud of yourself." A nasty voice said from close beside her. Diamond turned and opened her mouth to shriek. A hand clamped down, and a prickle at her throat held her still. "One sound, and it'll be your last." Spike said softly. "Did you see?" Diamond whispered, fists clenched. "By the look on your face, I can guess." Spike replied softly, gently running the blade up and down her neck. "So Damon finally kissed the girl. Huh, too bad he'll never get what he wants." "What are you talking about?" Diamond muttered, eyes narrowing. "Do you honestly think he loves you?" Spike snorted. "Hah. We can't love, my dear. It's impossible. A general's heart is as frozen as ice. Damon doesn't want your heart, pet. He wants-something else." "Liar." Diamond whispered, tears prickling. "Don't you wish, love." Spike laughed softly. He grabbed her neck and threw her out of the bushes onto the ground. Diamond stared up at the menacing silhouette, terrified. Spike laughed as he yanked her to her feet. "We're going to have some fun." He muttered in her ear. "It's been a long time since I tortured a Sailor Soldier." Diamond gritted her teeth, tears and hatred prickling in her eyes. "Bastard." Spike chuckled before he turned his head up to the sky. "Hey, Damon! Jedin! Lookee what I found!" Two dark shapes up in the sky turned to stare down at them. Spike grabbed Diamond's wrist and raised it high, half-pulling her off the ground. "It's Miss Scout of the Year!" He said, with a laugh. There was a sharp intake of air from someplace above. Diamond didn't hear it. The war was back in her heart, Spike's words repeating themselves over and over. It was beginning to drive her mad. Jedin whooped and flew down, glee coming over his evil face. "About time!! Hah! Finally!" He grabbed Diamond's chin and roughly pulled her head up to look at him. He smiled at her, triumph deep in every line on his face. Diamond glared at him, and then spat in his eye. Spike chuckled as Jedin swore and wiped his countenance. He backhanded Diamond's face with a slap that echoed across the park. Diamond's head twisted around at the force of that blow. She winced as she gingerly touched her cheek. "Someone ate his vegetables when he was a little boy." She murmured to herself. "Knock her out." Jedin instructed Spike quietly. Spike nodded. The last thing Diamond remembered was something warm covering her mouth and nose, a funny smell, and then darkness.  
* * * Five blocks away, a silver-haired man stirred in his sleep. Deep in Neo's mind, something was calling to him, warning him of something. But his weariness was too much to heed the call, and he sank back into oblivion. But he was not alone. Across town, more people moved in restlessness. Mary half-awoke from a pleasant dream, blinked, realized it wasn't her turn to patrol yet, and went back to sleep, ignoring the uncomfortable prickle in the back of her mind. The same went for Rachelle and Marisa, also enjoying the few hours of sleep they would get before patrol. On the streets, Amethyst, Topaz, and Sapphire patrolled, wondering somewhat uneasily why they had not seen Diamond yet, concern surfacing in their minds between the destruction of demons. But none of them heeded the call, and none noticed the golden girl dragged across town to the Sunset Tower and locked inside.  
* * * Diamond woke up to a stinging pain on her left cheek. She yelped and tried to move her hand up to touch the sore spot. She couldn't. Her eyes opened and she looked down, then yelled in anger and disbelief. She was chained! Large, heavy iron chains bound her hands and legs to the wall, the metal rusty and scratching her skin. Along the chain links she saw flashes of black lightning, indicating that these were magic. She sighed and hung her head, memories of what had happened flying back to her. She had transformed in front of the generals-Spike had caught her- drugged her-but before that he had laughed at her-why- Her eyes went wide as she remembered what had happened between her and Damon. She blushed and wet her lips with her tongue, heart racing, conflict swooping back into her head. Spike had implied that Damon only wanted her for her body, that he didn't love her. A small smirk played on Diamond's lips. "You think he could have chosen someone better." She muttered to herself. "So, the Sleeping Beauty decides to join us." A British-accented voice said. Spike came out of the shadows on her left, a cruel smile on his face. "Try the knocked-out beauty." Diamond retorted, a cold sweat breaking out on her skin. "Jeez, use a drug when before all you had to do was knock me upside the head. You're getting more creative." Spike's next smile was actually almost gentle, and the evilness behind it was enough to make her teeth begin dancing away in her mouth. "Oh, dear." Spike murmured softly. "Poor little child. You really have no idea what's going to happen to you, do you?" He gently ran a fingernail up and down her cheek. Diamond jerked her head away. "Get off me!" "Perhaps you'd rather spend some quality time with someone else." Spike said with a smirk as another shape came out of the shadows. Diamond's breath caught so fast in her throat she almost choked. "Damon." She whispered, voice inaudible, barely above silence. "Yeah." Spike said, seeing her lips move. "Damon. Your favorite little general." He smirked at Damon. "You got five minutes, buddy." He growled, acting like a bad actor playing a policeman. He punched Damon's shoulder, then vanished back into the dark shadows. Damon rubbed his head, looking down at the ground. "You didn't exactly lead them away." Diamond said finally, glaring at him. "Do you believe the poison Spike was dripping in your ear?" Damon asked softly. "What poison?" She replied innocently, wishing she could burn a hole through this man with her eyes. "About us not being able to love." Damon quietly stated. Diamond shrugged. "It's true, isn't it?" "No." Damon answered firmly. "No, it's not." Diamond laughed, a harsh, bitter sound. "Hah. Yeah, right." She glared at Damon, who was starting to look slightly mad. "You expect me to believe that? The all-high bad guys of our dimension can love?" She spat on the ground in disgust. The anger in Damon's dark eyes was much more acute now. "So you believe him, but not me." He growled. "Yes, I do!" Diamond yelled. "Maybe he's right! Maybe you do just want me for my body!" "I love you." Damon snarled, looking at that moment like he truly hated her. Diamond laughed again. "How do you know you love me?! I bet you don't even know what love is!" "If it means- " Damon began to roar. His voice suddenly softened. "That you're the only thing that I think about, the one thing that's always pushing me. If love means that you're the first thing behind my eyelids when I wake in the morning, the thought that accompanies me throughout the day, the last image that I see before sleep overtakes me, and the one dream that always will haunt me, then yes, I do." Diamond did not say anything. She merely stared at Damon, looking pole- axed. Damon continued, a mixture of anger and soft affection in his tone. "If it means that you make me want to kill you one minute and kiss the living daylights out of you the next, then yes, I do. If it means that I'd risk every particle of myself if it meant saving your life, then I do. If love has anything to do with the fact that ever since I saw you my heart has been one jumble of pain and feelings and emotions, then I love you with every fiber of my being, and I honestly believe that this feeling is going to go on for a very, very long time." He sighed and ran a hand across his eyes, looking at Diamond. "Is that good enough for you, or do I need to continue? I love you, Sailor Diamond, Angie Pirko, whoever you are. I love you." Diamond suddenly realized she had stopped breathing. She gasped in air, filling empty lungs, heart flying away in her chest, unable to speak or move. "Time's up, children!" Spike sang, coming out of the shadows suddenly. Damon drew away from where Diamond was chained and walked away into the shadows, dark eyes unreadable. Diamond watched him go, trying to make her voice and movement come back. "Torture time, now, isn't it, pet?" A singsong voice murmured. Ivy wound her way out of the shadows as the room began to be illuminated. Diamond stared at her for a moment in fear before glancing around her prison. The Sunset Tower lobby. She thought desperately. But-why here? What's so special about the Sunset Tower to these creeps? "We have waited too long for this day." Uther said quietly from where he was standing, the shadows disappearing from his face as the room brightened. "Today is the day another Sailor will leave the ranks of the living defenders of justice, and go join the Divinity." "The death of a Sailor Scout always empowers us." Katrina murmured, for once not sounding too stoned. She looked calmly at Diamond from her place across the room. "The torture of a Senshi strengthens us even more." "Her energy will be harvested, and used to feed our Lady." Xavier said in his monotone voice, gray eyes like those of a dead man's as he looked at Diamond. "Our darkness will be complete, and our shadow will spread across the world." "Oooh, wishful thinking on your part, pal." Diamond said, sighing in relief as her speech and strength came back. "The energy of a Scout is incredibly strong." Spike said with a smile at Diamond. "And the Lady Rubian needs only a few more drops. Yours will do fine." "Who says I'm gonna give it?" Diamond inquired, glaring at all the generals assembled before her. Spike smiled, looking for all the world like an angelic Satan. "Black Arrow." Diamond cried out as a bolt of black lightning hit her side. She glared at Spike. "Creep! Won't even untie me-fight me one on one!" "No chances are to be taken, Miss Diamond." Jedin said with a smirk. "Darkness Hail!" Bolts lashed against her body. Diamond let out a small shriek as her body was flung back and forth. She could not dodge, could not get away from the horrible pain that cut her arms and legs and tore at her fuku. Blood began to drip from the wounds on her limbs and face. "Shadows Destruct!" "Nightflash Disembowelment!" Cries began to fill the room. Diamond flung herself against the chains, tears mixing with the blood on her face. Her golden fuku was now sodden with redness, and her skin was marked and injured in a thousand places. The metallic smell of blood filled the air, along with the smell (that only the generals could detect) of fear and pain. In Damon's mind a war was brimming. He knew that if he interrupted the torture, it would finally reveal him as a traitor, and they would kill him. But every cry that reached his ears tore at his heart and made his chest ache. He couldn't bear the sight of the puddle of blood beginning to form underneath Diamond, nor the liquid streaming out of her. Diamond was wailing, crying, pleading for relief in wordless shrieks. Finally, the shots ended. Diamond looked up, spirit almost broken, pain lashing her like she had never before known. Her wounds covered every possible inch of her body, and her life's blood was draining away onto the floor beneath her. Hazy blue eyes looked up to find cerulean ones. Damon's eyes showed such concern and worry-her strength and spirit returned, and she worked her lips up into a small smile. Damon's heart twisted. Spike yawned. "This is boring." He announced, cupping his hands together. "DARK TITANIC DESTRUCTION!!!" As the huge bolt zoomed towards Diamond, she seemed to barely notice it. She was looking instead at Damon, eyes smiling, kindness in them. Damon fought for air. He stared at her pleadingly. "I love you." He mouthed. Diamond's mouth opened. "I know." Then the bomb exploded. Diamond's body was yanked back and forth like a kite in a hurricane. She screamed and screamed-why weren't the walls coming down?! The pain was incredible. Smashed in the head with a two-by-four repeatedly, drilling a tooth without Novocain, surgery without anesthesia. She cried and cried as the darkness pounded her, and pounded her, and pounded her- Twelve blocks away, Rachelle sat up in bed with a start, pain screaming in her own chest. She blindly grabbed her charm and transformed, knowing automatically what was happening across the city. She saw Mary leap out of bed and jump out of her window without even being transformed, bracelet dangling on her wrist. Marisa ran out her front door and flew down the street, transforming as she did so. Neo leapt off his balcony, transforming into Tuxedo Onyx on the way down. Oz, who had been up late preparing an end-of-term paper, started and knocked several of his papers off his desk as he grabbed an orange rose that had been sitting in a small vase. Andrew, who had been sleeping, fell out of bed, eyes wide, not even noticing the pain. Lance, doing late night work at the library, yelled out loud and ran out the door, making the librarian who was there late frown at him. Amethyst, Sapphire, and Topaz all stopped dead in the middle of their separate struggles-Topaz actually had half a stake in a vampire-and took off at the same time to a point, a certain place in the town. Even Kyle and Chase woke up sweating, clamoring for something they couldn't hear or see. Because each person with connections to the ancient powers, whether receivers of or merely close to, had felt in their hearts Diamond's pleading scream, and each knew instinctively that they had to protect their leader. Back at the Sunset Tower, the blast finally ended. Diamond's whole body was shuddering. She was more dead than alive, and life was slowing draining out of her. Her eyes looked up pleadingly as Spike came up, a small smile on his face, a ball of black energy in his fist. One more would finish her. She stared up at it, eyes filling with tears, as Spike lowered his hand. BAM!! A red whirlwind suddenly flew at Spike from out of nowhere. It hurled him across the room and flung him against the wall. Spike choked as the blur stopped to reveal Garnet's furious face. "BASTARD!!!!" She screamed at him, shaking him furiously. "YOU JERK!!!!" Multicolor flashes began flying into the room from high windows. The Jewel Senshi and their Guardians had arrived, each with a look of fuming hatred on their face. Amethyst's crescent attack cut Diamond's bonds clean through. She swayed for a moment, then collapsed in a pool of her blood. The battle raged as it had never before. Generals found themselves fighting for their lives as the heated warriors attacked. Obsidian and Tuxedo Onyx tore at Xavier with their attacks, alternately blasting him and scorching his skin. Topaz and Sapphire bloodied Spike's face, bruising his cheeks and temples with their fists. Amethyst blasted Jedin with her attack, numbed loathing on her face. Emerald and Bullet took on Katrina, both flinging their rose assaults. Uther found himself defending his life from Storm's and Thunder's violence. Garnet, after tackling Spike for a moment, ran to Diamond's side and forced her to sit up. "Angie! Angie!" She cried, trying to wipe the blood away from her friend's nose and mouth. "They know." Diamond whispered to Garnet. "They know who I am. They know who we are. God, Shell, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." "It doesn't matter!" Garnet said fiercely, clinging onto her friend's hand. "It doesn't matter, Diamond-please- " "Diamond, heal yourself!" A voice said on Garnet's right. Garnet swung around in time to see Damon take her other hand. He glared at her fiercely, ignoring Garnet. "Come on, do it!" Garnet hesitated, wondering if she was being mocked. Diamond opened her eyes to look up at Damon. She half-smiled, then whispered so only he could hear, "I love you, too." She took a deep breath. "Everlasting Love Purify." A cry forced its way out of her throat as the light entered her. The thousands of cuts healed in an instant, like someone had merely zippered them shut. Diamond cried out again as the light worked inside her, healing the internal damage in her organs and head and bones. It reached an agonizing peak, then vanished, leaving her feeling wonderfully peaceful and healed. She opened her eyes and smiled up at Damon. Garnet saw the look in Damon's and Diamond's eyes as they looked at each other. Hesitantly, she reached out with her power, trying to feel their emotions. A gasp fell out of her mouth as she stared at them, eyes bugging out. No- no, it couldn't be- Diamond hesitantly rose to her feet, glancing down ruefully at her still- bloody uniform. "I wonder if this thing needs dry cleaning?" She said, looking over at Garnet's shell-shocked face. She frowned and waved her hand energetically up and down in front of Garnet's red eyes. "Hey? Hello! What's wrong?" Garnet started, then smiled up at Diamond. "N-nothing. I don't know, maybe the magic does that." Diamond laughed, then turned a bright smile on Damon, who gazed at her with dark eyes, the hint of a smile passing over his face. Garnet watched this exchange, eyes wide and interested. Diamond suddenly noticed Garnet's frank look, and blushed and stammered. "Um- " Garnet held up a hand. "Explanations later-from both of you." She looked sharply at Damon, who meekly nodded, eyes dancing. "Oh, Shellie-" Diamond began pleadingly. "And don't you use the Look on me, Pirko!" Garnet growled. "You didn't hear that." She added to Damon. "He already knew." Diamond said quietly. "He-already-knew?" Garnet said jerkily, the full blast of these words finally hitting her. "And-the others?" "I transformed in front of Spike, Jedin, and Damon." Diamond murmured. "We're in a lot of trouble." Garnet sighed, rubbing her forehead. Diamond and Damon promptly nodded their heads before grinning at each other. None of this had escaped the attention of Jedin, who, despite his fight with Amethyst, had been very close by. He had seen all. And a conviction was growing in his mind. Traitor. "BEAUTY ROSES BLAST!!!" "BLACK FEAR SWARM!!!!" "DEATH CRESCENTS DESTROY!!!!" "BRIGHT WHIRLWIND GUST!!!!!" "ICY GLACIER FREEZE!!!!!" "Come on!" Garnet called, turning around to face the fight. "SCORCHING FLAMEBALLS FIRE!!!!" Diamond hesitated, then shot a look at Damon. He slowly raised a hand, palm facing her. She raised her hand and placed it against his, entwining their fingers. "We have to play enemies for a little while longer, Cat." Damon whispered. Diamond nodded with a sigh. "I know. I-I won't let them hurt you, though." "I wish I had enough guts to have interrupted the torture." Damon said savagely, self-loathing rising. He smiled at Diamond. "I don't really deserve you, little one." Diamond calmly stood up on her tiptoes to place her lips on Damon's cheek. Damon closed his eyes as soft rosebuds touched his face for the briefest instant. Then the sensation was gone, and Diamond was smiling warmly up at him. "I wouldn't have chosen anyone else." Generals and Senshi and Guardians alike were staring at the couple-the general and the Sailor Scout. Neither of them noticed. They were too lost in their own world. The only faces not too surprised were Garnet's and Jedin's. On Garnet's there was calm resignation, and even a hint of amusement and happiness. On Jedin's there was cold nothingness. He was carefully concealing his feelings under a mask of flesh. No one could say for sure which side was more astonished-the light or the dark. Both sides roughly resembled gaping fish. Diamond turned around, a dreamy expression on her face. She stopped short as she noticed the stares of the others. For a moment, fear and panic launched themselves across her face before she frowned and stuck out her lip. "What the devil are you lot staring at? Come on, move it along, nothing to see here!" A lot of mouths snapped shut. Damon chuckled, feeling slightly insane. Oh, he was definitely going to get it, all right. Mm-hmm. Diamond's demeanor was changing. She seemed to grow taller as she glared at the generals. "You put me through hell, tonight." She growled, voice angry. "You didn't fight honorably, not that we expected you to, but the thought of this torture was well beyond me." She placed her hands on her hips as her speech reached its peak. "Tomorrow, this is over." "It's time for a showdown." The Senshi stared at her before abruptly nodding. "She's right." Amethyst proclaimed. "You've gone too far, you lot. It's payback time." "Uh-huh." Emerald agreed. "This is low, even for slime like you lot." "Hasta la vista, pretty boys!" Obsidian snarled. Spike growled his assent. "So be it. Be here tomorrow at-" "No!" Diamond interjected. "We will choose the time. You no longer govern us." She gave Spike a final glare before turning to walk out. Spitefully, Spike aimed a last blow at Diamond. It flew towards her back, making the Senshi cry out in warning. Diamond turned- And then Damon was in front of her. A black shield formed, disintegrating the shot. He was breathing heavily, glaring at Spike. "Now, that's not nice, is it?" He asked calmly. "Not nice to attack after the challenge has been issued." "Damon." Diamond whispered. "Thank you-but now they know-" "They knew anyway, love." Damon murmured to her, putting the shield down. He turned his head to wink at her. "Don't worry about me. I can handle my own." Diamond bit her lip before nodding and exiting the lobby, her Scouts and Guardians following. Damon smiled as she disappeared into the night, then turned to face the onslaught. Spike's cold black eyes glittered. "Well, well, well. What have we here." 


End file.
